Antisense IAP nucleobase oligomers and uses thereof

ABSTRACT

The present invention features nucleobase oligomers that hybridize to IAP polynucleotides, and methods for using them to enhance apoptosis and treat proliferative diseases.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/367,853, filed Mar. 27, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates to antisense IAP nucleobase oligomers and methods of using them to induce apoptosis.

[0003] One way by which cells die is referred to as apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Apoptosis often occurs as a normal part of the development and maintenance of healthy tissues. The process may occur so rapidly that it is difficult to detect.

[0004] The apoptosis pathway is now known to play a critical role in embryonic development, viral pathogenesis, cancer, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as other events. The failure of an apoptotic response has been implicated in the development of cancer, autoimmune disorders, such as lupus erythematosis and multiple sclerosis, and in viral infections, including those associated with herpes virus, poxvirus, and adenovirus.

[0005] The importance of apoptosis in cancer has become clear in recent years. The identification of growth promoting oncogenes in the late 1970's gave rise to an almost universal focus on cellular proliferation that dominated research in cancer biology for many years. Long-standing dogma held that anti-cancer therapies preferentially targeted rapidly dividing cancer cells relative to “normal” cells. This explanation was not entirely satisfactory, since some slow growing tumors are easily treated, while many rapidly dividing tumor types are extremely resistant to anti-cancer therapies. Progress in the cancer field has now led to a new paradigm in cancer biology wherein neoplasia is viewed as a failure to execute normal pathways of programmed cell death. Normal cells receive continuous feedback from their neighbors through various growth factors, and commit “suicide” if removed from this context. Cancer cells somehow bypass these commands and continue inappropriate proliferation. It is now believed that many cancer therapies, including radiation and many chemotherapies, previously thought to act by causing cellular injury, actually work by triggering apoptosis.

[0006] Both normal cell types and cancer cell types display a wide range of susceptibility to apoptotic triggers, although the determinants of this resistance are only now under investigation. Many normal cell types undergo temporary growth arrest in response to a sub-lethal dose of radiation or cytotoxic chemical, while cancer cells in the vicinity undergo apoptosis. This differential effect at a given dose provides the crucial treatment window that allows successful anti-cancer therapy. It is therefore not surprising that resistance of tumor cells to apoptosis is emerging as a major category of cancer treatment failure.

[0007] Several potent endogenous proteins that inhibit apoptosis have been identified, including Bcl-2, and IAP (inhibitor-of apoptosis) families in mammalian cells. Certain members of the latter family directly inhibit terminal effector caspases, i.e. casp-3 and casp-7, engaged in the execution of cell death, as well as the key mitochondrial initiator caspase, casp-9, important to the mediation of cancer chemotherapy induced cell death. The IAPs are the only known endogenous caspase inhibitors, and thus play a central role in the regulation of apoptosis.

[0008] The IAPs have been postulated to contribute to the development of some cancers, and a postulated causal chromosomal translocation involving one particular IAP (cIAP2/HIAP1) has been identified in MALT lymphoma. A recent correlation between elevated XIAP, poor prognosis, and short survival has been demonstrated in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia. XIAP was highly over-expressed in many tumor cell lines of the NCI panel.

[0009] There exists a need for improved cancer therapeutics and, in particular, therapeutics that can induce cancer cells to undergo apoptosis and override anti-apoptotic signals provided in such cells.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In general, the invention features methods and reagents useful for inducing apoptosis in a cell. The methods and reagents of the invention are useful in treating cancers, and other proliferative diseases.

[0011] The present invention features nucleobase oligomers, particularly oligonucleotides, for use in modulating the function of a polynucleotide encoding an IAP. These oligomers reduce the amount of an IAP produced, allowing a cell normally expressing the IAP to undergo apoptosis. This is accomplished by providing nucleobase oligomers that specifically hybridize with one or more polynucleotides encoding an IAP. The specific hybridization of the nucleobase oligomer with an IAP polynucleotide (e.g., RNA, DNA) interferes with the normal function of that IAP polynucleotide, reducing the amount of IAP protein produced. This modulation of function of a target nucleic acid by compounds that specifically hybridize to the target is generally referred to as “antisense.”

[0012] In one aspect, the invention features a nucleobase oligomer of up to 30 nucleobases in length, the oligomer including at least eight consecutive nucleobases of a sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 1-99, 143, 147, 151, 163-260, 287, 289, and 300-460. Desirably, when administered to a cell, the oligomer inhibits expression of an IAP.

[0013] In certain embodiments, the nucleobase oligomer includes a sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 1-99, 143, 147, 151, 163-260, 287, 289, and 300-460. It is desirable that the nucleobase oligomer consists of (or essentially of) one or more of the foregoing SEQ ID NOs. For example, the nucleobase oligomer may be a XIAP antisense nucleic acid that includes a sequence chosen from SEQ ID NOs 97, 98, 99, 143, 147, 151, 287, and 289, a HIAP1 antisense nucleic acid that includes a sequence chosen from SEQ ID NOs 300-389, or a HIAP2 antisense nucleic acid includes a sequence chosen from SEQ ID NOs 390-460. In a particularly desirable embodiment, the invention features a nucleobase oligomer having eleven DNA residues flanked on each side by four 2′-O-methyl RNA residues, and consists of one of the following sequences: 5′-AUUGGTTC CAATGTGUUCU-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 155); 5′-ACACGACCGCTAAGAAACA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 16); 5′-ACAGGACTACCACTTGGAA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 157); 5′-UGCCAGTG TTGATGCUGAA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 27); 5′-GCUGAGTCTCCATATUGCC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 141); 5′-UCGGGTATATGGTGTCUGA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 41); 5′-AAGCACTGCA CTTGGUCAC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 47); 5′-CCGGCCCAAAACAA AGAAG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 51); 5′-ACCCTGGATACCATTUAGC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 63); 5′-UGUCAGTACA TGTTGGCUC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 161); and 5′-UGCACCCTGGATA CCAUUU-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 151).

[0014] A nucleobase oligomer of the present invention may include at least one modified linkage (e.g., a phosphorothioate, a methylphosphonate, a phosphotriester, a phosphorodithioate, or a phosphoselenate linkage), modified nucleobase (e.g., a 5-methyl cytosine), and/or a modified sugar moiety (e.g., a 2′-O-methoxyethyl group or a 2′-O-methyl group). In one embodiment, the oligomer is a chimeric oligomer (e.g., an oligonucleotide that includes DNA residues linked together by phosphorothioate or phosphodiester linkages, flanked on each side by at least one, two, three, or four 2′-O-methyl RNA residue linked together by a phosphorothioate linkage).

[0015] In another aspect, the invention features a method of enhancing apoptosis in a cell. This method includes the step of administering to the cell a nucleobase oligomer of the present invention so that expression of an IAP (e.g., XIAP, HIAP1, or HIAP2) is inhibited. The nucleobase oligomer may be, e.g., a component of an antisense compound, a double-stranded RNA, or a ribozyme. This administering step may be performed alone, or in combination with a second step (e.g., administration of a chemotherapeutic agent, a biological response modifying agent, and/or a chemosensitizer). The cell can be in vitro or in vivo. In one embodiment, the cell is a cancer cell (e.g., a human cancer cell) or a cell of lymphoid or myeloid origin.

[0016] In a related aspect, the invention features a method for treating an animal (e.g., a human) having a proliferative disease (e.g., a cancer, lymphoproliferative disorder, or myelodysplastic syndrome) or preventing the development of such a disease, by administering to the animal an effective amount of a nucleobase oligomer of the present invention.

[0017] The cancer may be, for example, acute leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute myelocytic leukemia, acute myeloblastic leukemia, acute promyelocytic leukemia, acute myelomonocytic leukemia, acute monocytic leukemia, acute erythroleukemia, chronic leukemia, chronic myelocytic leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, polycythemia vera, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, fibrosarcoma, myxosarcoma, liposarcoma, chondrosarcoma, osteogenic sarcoma, chordoma, angiosarcoma, endotheliosarcoma, lymphangiosarcoma, lymphangioendotheliosarcoma, synovioma, mesothelioma, Ewing's tumor, leiomyosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, colon carcinoma, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, sweat gland carcinoma, sebaceous gland carcinoma, papillary carcinoma, papillary adenocarcinoma, cystadenocarcinoma, medullary carcinoma, bronchogenic carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, hepatoma, bile duct carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, seminoma, embryonal carcinoma, Wilm's tumor, cervical cancer, uterine cancer, testicular cancer, lung carcinoma, small cell lung carcinoma, bladder carcinoma, epithelial carcinoma, glioma, astrocytoma, medulloblastoma, craniopharyngioma, ependymoma, pinealoma, hemangioblastoma, acoustic neuroma, oligodenroglioma, schwannoma, meningioma, melanoma, neuroblastoma, or retinoblastoma. When treating a cancer, it may be desirable to also administer one or more chemotherapeutic agents, biological response modifying agents, and/or chemosensitizers. Desirably, the administration of one or more of these agents is within five days of the administration of the nucleobase oligomer. Exemplary chemotherapeutic agents are adriamycin (doxorubicin), vinorelbine, etoposide, taxol, and cisplatin. While any route of administration that results in an effective amount at the desired site may be used, particularly desirable routes are by intravenous and intratumoral administration.

[0018] In another aspect, the invention features a pharmaceutical composition that includes a nucleobase oligomer of the present invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. If desirable, the pharmaceutical composition may further include additional components (e.g., a colloidal dispersion system or a chemotherapeutic agent).

[0019] The invention also features a catalytic RNA molecule capable of cleaving XIAP, HIAP1, or HIAP2 mRNA. In desirable embodiments, the catalytic RNA molecule includes, in its binding arms, at least eight consecutive nucleobases corresponding to a nucleobase oligomer of the invention (e.g., a nucleobase sequence of any one of Tables 1, 2, 6, and 7). The RNA molecule is desirably in a hammerhead motif, but may also be in a hairpin, hepatitis delta virus, group 1 intron, VS RNA or RNAseP RNA motif.

[0020] The invention also features an expression vector including a nucleic acid encoding one or more catalytic RNA molecules of the invention positioned for expression in a mammalian cell.

[0021] The invention also features a method of treating an animal having a cancer or lymphoproliferative disorder by administering to the animal an effective amount of a catalytic RNA molecule described above, or an expression vector encoding such a catalytic RNA molecule.

[0022] In still another aspect, the invention features a double-stranded RNA molecule having between 21 and 29 nucleobases, wherein at least eight consecutive nucleobases corresponding to a sequence of any one of Tables 1, 2, 6, and 7 are present.

[0023] In a related aspect, the invention also features a double-stranded RNA molecule having between 50 and 70 nucleobases, the RNA molecule having a first domain of between 21 and 29 nucleobases that include least eight consecutive nucleobases corresponding to a sequence of any one of Tables 1, 2, 6, and 7; a second domain complementary to the first domain, and a loop domain situated between the first and second domains such that the first and second domains are capable of duplexing to form a double-stranded RNA molecule. The invention also features an expression vector (e.g., an adenoviral vector or a retroviral vector) encoding such a double stranded RNA.

[0024] The invention also features a method of treating an animal having a cancer or lymphoproliferative disorder by administering to the animal an effective amount of a double-stranded RNA molecule described above

[0025] By a “nucleobase oligomer” is meant a compound that includes a chain of at least eight nucleobases joined together by linkage groups. Included in this definition are natural and non-natural oligonucleotides, both modified and unmodified, as well as oligonucleotide mimetics such as Protein Nucleic Acids, locked nucleic acids, and arabinonucleic acids. Numerous nucleobases and linkage groups may be employed in the nucleobase oligomers of the invention, including those described in detail herein in the section entitled “Oligonucleotides and other nucleobase oligomers,” infra.

[0026] “Protein” or “polypeptide” or “polypeptide fragment” means any chain of more than two amino acids, regardless of post-translational modification (e.g., glycosylation or phosphorylation), constituting all or part of a naturally occurring polypeptide or peptide, or constituting a non-naturally occurring polypeptide or peptide.

[0027] “Apoptosis” means the process of cell death wherein a dying cell displays a set of well-characterized biochemical hallmarks that include cell membrane blebbing, cell soma shrinkage, chromatin condensation, and DNA laddering. Cells that die by apoptosis include neurons (e.g., during the course of neurodegenerative diseases such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease), cardiomyocytes (e.g., after myocardial infarction or over the course of congestive heart failure), and cancer cells (e.g., after exposure to radiation or chemotherapeutic agents). Environmental stress (e.g., hypoxic stress) that is not alleviated may cause a cell to enter the early phase of the apoptotic pathway, which is reversible (i.e., cells at the early stage of the apoptotic pathway can be rescued). At a later phase of apoptosis (the commitment phase), cells cannot be rescued, and, as a result, are committed to die.

[0028] Proteins and compounds known to stimulate and inhibit apoptosis in a diverse variety of cells are well known in the art. For example, intracellular expression and activation of the caspase (ICE) family induces or stimulates apoptotic cell death, whereas expression of the IAPs or some members of the Bcl-2 family inhibit apoptotic cell death. In addition, there are survival factors that inhibit cell death in specific cell types. For example, neurotrophic factors, such as NGF inhibit neuronal apoptosis.

[0029] By “IAP gene” is meant a gene encoding a polypeptide having at least one BIR domain and that is capable of modulating (inhibiting or enhancing) apoptosis in a cell or tissue when provided by other intracellular or extracellular delivery methods (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,912). In preferred embodiments, the IAP gene is a gene having about 50% or greater nucleotide sequence identity (e.g., at least 85%, 90%, or 95%) to at least one of human or murine XIAP, HIAP1, or HIAP2 (each of which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,156,535). Preferably the region of sequence over which identity is measured is a region encoding at least one BIR domain and a ring zinc finger domain. Mammalian IAP genes include nucleotide sequences isolated from any mammalian source. Preferably the mammal is a human.

[0030] By “IAP protein” or “IAP polypeptide” is meant a polypeptide, or fragment thereof, encoded by an IAP gene.

[0031] By “IAP biological activity” is meant any activity known to be caused in vivo or in vitro by an IAP polypeptide.

[0032] By “enhancing apoptosis” is meant increasing the number of cells that apoptose in a given cell population (e.g., cancer cells, lymphocytes, fibroblasts, or any other cells). It will be appreciated that the degree of apoptosis enhancement provided by an apoptosis-enhancing compound in a given assay will vary, but that one skilled in the art can determine the statistically significant change in the level of apoptosis that identifies a nucleobase oligomer that enhances apoptosis otherwise limited by an IAP. Preferably, “enhancing apoptosis” means that the increase in the number of cells undergoing apoptosis is at least 10%, more preferably the increase is 25% or even 50%, and most preferably the increase is at least one-fold, relative to cells not administered a nucleobase oligomer of the invention but otherwise treated in a substantially similar manner. Preferably the sample monitored is a sample of cells that normally undergo insufficient apoptosis (i.e., cancer cells). Methods for detecting changes in the level of apoptosis (i.e., enhancement or reduction) are described herein.

[0033] By a nucleobase oligomer that “inhibits the expression” of a target gene (e.g., an IAP) is meant one that reduces the amount of a target mRNA, or protein encoded by such mRNA, by at least about 5%, more desirable by at least about 10%, 25%, or even 50%, relative to an untreated control. Methods for measuring both mRNA and protein levels are well-known in the art; exemplary methods are described herein.

[0034] “Hybridization” means hydrogen bonding, which may be Watson-Crick, Hoogsteen or reversed Hoogsteen hydrogen bonding, between complementary nucleobases. For example, adenine and thymine are complementary nucleobases that pair through the formation of hydrogen bonds.

[0035] By “proliferative disease” is meant a disease that is caused by or results in inappropriately high levels of cell division, inappropriately low levels of apoptosis, or both. For example, cancer is an example of a proliferative disease. Examples of cancers include, without limitation, leukemias (e.g., acute leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute myelocytic leukemia, acute myeloblastic leukemia, acute promyelocytic leukemia, acute myelomonocytic leukemia, acute monocytic leukemia, acute erythroleukemia, chronic leukemia, chronic myelocytic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia), polycythemia vera, lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's disease), Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, heavy chain disease, and solid tumors such as sarcomas and carcinomas (e.g., fibrosarcoma, myxosarcoma, liposarcoma, chondrosarcoma, osteogenic sarcoma, chordoma, angiosarcoma, endotheliosarcoma, lymphangiosarcoma, lymphangioendotheliosarcoma, synovioma, mesothelioma, Ewing's tumor, leiomyosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, colon carcinoma, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, sweat gland carcinoma, sebaceous gland carcinoma, papillary carcinoma, papillary adenocarcinomas, cystadenocarcinoma, medullary carcinoma, bronchogenic carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, hepatoma, nile duct carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, seminoma, embryonal carcinoma, Wilm's tumor, cervical cancer, uterine cancer, testicular cancer, lung carcinoma, small cell lung carcinoma, bladder carcinoma, epithelial carcinoma, glioma, astrocytoma, medulloblastoma, craniopharyngioma, ependymoma, pinealoma, hemangioblastoma, acoustic neuroma, oligodenroglioma, schwannoma, meningioma, melanoma, neuroblastoma, and retinoblastoma). Lymphoproliferative disorders are also considered to be proliferative diseases.

[0036] Preferably, a nucleobase oligomer of the invention is capable of enhancing apoptosis and/or decreasing IAP mRNA or protein levels when present in a cell that normally does not undergo sufficient apoptosis. Preferably the increase is by at least 10%, relative to a control, more preferably 25%, and most preferably 1-fold or more. Preferably a nucleobase oligomer of the invention includes from about 8 to 30 nucleobases, wherein at least eight consecutive nucleobases are from a sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 1-99, 143, 147, 151, 163-260, 287, 289, and 300-460. A nucleobase oligomer of the invention may also contain, e.g., an additional 20, 40, 60, 85, 120, or more consecutive nucleobases that are complementary to an IAP polynucleotide. The nucleobase oligomer (or a portion thereof) may contain a modified backbone. Phosphorothioate, phosphorodithioate, and other modified backbones are known in the art. The nucleobase oligomer may also contain one or more non-natural linkages.

[0037] By “chemotherapeutic agent” is meant an agent that is used to kill cancer cells or to slow their growth. Accordingly, both cytotoxic and cytostatic agents are considered to be chemotherapeutic agents.

[0038] By “biological response modifying agent” is meant an agent that stimulates or restores the ability of the immune system to fight disease. Some, but not all, biological response modifying agents may slow the growth of cancer cells and thus are also considered to be chemotherapeutic agents.” Examples of biological response modifying agents are interferons (alpha, beta, gamma), interleukin-2, rituximab, and trastuzumab.

[0039] By “chemosensitizer” is meant an agent that makes tumor cells more sensitive to the effects of chemotherapy.

[0040] By “an effective amount” is meant the amount of a compound (e.g., a nucleobase oligomer) required to ameliorate the symptoms of a disease, inhibit the growth of the target cells, reduce the size or number of tumors, inhibit the expression of an IAP, or enhance apoptosis of target cells, relative to an untreated patient. The effective amount of active compound(s) used to practice the present invention for therapeutic treatment of abnormal proliferation (i.e., cancer) varies depending upon the manner of administration, the age, body weight, and general health of the subject. Ultimately, the attending physician or veterinarian will decide the appropriate amount and dosage regimen. Such amount is referred to as an “effective” amount.

[0041] By “lymphoproliferative disorder” is meant a disorder in which there is abnormal proliferation of cells of the lymphatic system (e.g., T-cells and B-cells), and includes multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis.

[0042] By “ribozyme” is meant an RNA that has enzymatic activity, possessing site specificity and cleavage capability for a target RNA molecule. Ribozymes can be used to decrease expression of a polypeptide. Methods for using ribozymes to decrease polypeptide expression are described, for example, by Turner et al., (Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 465:303-318, 2000) and Norris et al., (Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 465:293-301, 2000).

[0043] By “reporter gene” is meant a gene encoding a polypeptide whose expression may be assayed; such polypeptides include, without limitation, glucuronidase (GUS), luciferase, chloramphenicol transacetylase (CAT), and beta-galactosidase.

[0044] By “promoter” is meant a polynucleotide sufficient to direct transcription.

[0045] By “operably linked” is meant that a first polynucleotide is positioned adjacent to a second polynucleotide that directs transcription of the first polynucleotide when appropriate molecules (e.g., transcriptional activator proteins) are bound to the second polynucleotide.

[0046] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments thereof, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] FIGS. 1A-1L are graphs showing the effect of antisense XIAP oligonucleotides on XIAP protein expression, relative to total protein (FIGS. 1A, 1C, 1E, 1G, 1I, and 1K). FIGS. 1B, 1D, 1F, 1H, 1J, and 1L are the total protein concentration values for each oligonucleotide transfection compared to mock transfection results that were used to normalize the above XIAP protein results.

[0048] FIGS. 2A-2C are graphs showing the effects of various antisense XIAP oligonucleotides, alone or in combination, on XIAP RNA (FIG. 2A) and protein (FIG. 2B). FIG. 2C is a graph of the total protein concentration values for each oligonucleotide transfection compared to mock transfection results, which were used to normalize the XIAP protein results shown in FIG. 2B.

[0049]FIGS. 3 and 4 are graphs showing the effects of 4×4 mixed backbone (MBO) FG8 or E12 oligonucleotides in amounts of 31 nM (FIG. 3) or 63 nM (FIG. 4). H460 lung carcinoma cells were transfected for 18 hours on one, two, or three consecutive days using 125 nM MBOs and Lipofectamine 2000. Samples for western analysis were harvested at the indicated time. Scanning densitometry was performed, and XIAP protein levels were normalized to GAPDH and compared to a mock control set to 100%. The indicated percentages express % XIAP protein knockdown versus specific scrambled controls.

[0050] FIGS. 5A-5D are graphs of the effects of antisense XIAP oligonucleotides on cell viability (FIGS. 5A, 5C, and 5D), and chemosensitization in the presence of adriamycin (FIG. 5B).

[0051]FIG. 6 is a graph showing oligonucleotide-mediated specific down-regulation of XIAP mRNA in H460 cells in vitro. Depicted are XIAP mRNA levels in H460 cells treated with Lipofectamine 2000 alone (LFA) or Lipofectamine 2000 with 1.2 □M of oligonucleotides F3, G4, C5, AB6, DE4 or D7, or a respective reverse polarity (RP) or scrambled (SC) oligonucleotide control. Real-time RT-PCR quantification of the relative amount of XIAP mRNA was performed at 6 hours of transfection. All data are presented as the mean±standard deviation (SD) of triplicates from a representative experiment. The level of XIAP mRNA in untreated cells (control) maintained under identical experimental conditions was assigned a value of 1.

[0052]FIG. 7 is a graph showing XIAP RNA levels in H460 cells after transfection with various PS-XIAP oligonucleotides. H460 human lung cancer cells were transfected for 6 hours using 1 μM PS-oligonucleotides and Lipofectamine 2000. Cells were then harvested for Taqman analysis.

[0053]FIG. 8 is a graph showing XIAP RNA levels in H460 cells 9 hours post-transfection with 4×4 MBOs. H460 cells were transfected for 9 hours using 4×4 MBOs at 62.5 nM to 1 μM and Lipofectamine 2000. The cells were then harvested for Taqman analysis.

[0054]FIG. 9 is a graph showing XIAP protein knockdown in H460 cells 24 hours after transfection with 4×4 MBOs. H460 cells were transfected for 24 hours using 1 μM 4×4 MBOs at 1 μM and Lipofectamine 2000. The cells were then harvested for western blot analysis. Scanning densitometry was performed, and XIAP protein levels were normalized to actin and compared to their specific scrambled (sm, m) controls, which were set at 100%.

[0055]FIGS. 10A and 10B are schematic illustrations showing antisense-mediated specific downregulation of XIAP protein in H460 cells in vitro. Depicted are XIAP protein levels in H460 cells treated with Lipofectamine 2000 alone (LFA) or LFA plus 1.2 μM of XIAP oligonucleotides F3, G4, or C5, or their respective oligonucleotide controls (RP, SC). XIAP protein levels were analyzed by western blotting (FIG. 10A), and the amount of protein was quantified by densitometry (FIG. 10B). XIAP levels were normalized to cellular actin levels and compared to untreated control (CNT) levels.

[0056]FIGS. 11A and 11B are schematic illustrations showing XIAP oligonucleotide-mediated effects on caspase activation. The effect of XIAP oligonucleotides F3, G4, or C5, or their respective RP and SC ODN controls at 1.2 μM on the expression of pro-caspase-3, PARP (both full length (116 kDa) and processed (85 kDa)) (FIG. 10A) and Bcl-2 and Bax protein levels (FIG. 10B) in transfected H460 cells compared to control is shown. Proteins expression was analyzed by western blotting. Bcl-2 and Bax protein levels were normalized to cellular actin levels and quantified by densitometry. The ratio of Bcl-2/Bax is presented as the mean of two or three independent experiments, and the ratio in control (CNT) cells set at 1.

[0057]FIGS. 12A and 12B are schematic illustrations showing XIAP oligonucleotide-specific induction of apoptosis. Induction of apoptosis was measured in H460 cells treated with 1.2 μM of XIAP G4 AS oligonucleotide, G4 SC oligonucleotide or untreated control (CNT). FIG. 12A shows the percentage of cells having sub-G0/G1 (apoptotic) DNA content, as measured by propidium iodide (PI) staining and flow cytometry. FIG. 12B shows nuclear morphology of oligonucleotide-treated H460 cells stained with DAPI. Arrows indicate cells that have characteristic apoptotic morphology of nuclear DNA condensation or fragmentation.

[0058]FIG. 13A is a graph showing the effect of XIAP G4 AS oligonucleotide treatment on the viability of H460 cells. Cells were treated with an increasing concentration of LFA alone or LFA-oligonucleotide complexes with G4 AS oligonucleotides or G4 SC oligonucleotides, and cells viability was determined by MTT assay after 24 hours of treatment. The data represent the mean±SD of three independent experiments.

[0059]FIG. 13B is a graph showing the percentage of dead H460 cells after treatment with LFA and complexes with G4 AS oligonucleotides or G4 SC oligonucleotides at 0.4 μM dose in the presence or absence of doxorubicin (DOX), taxol, vinorelbine (VNB) or etoposide (Etop), as determined by MTT assay. The data represent the mean±SD of three independent experiments.

[0060]FIG. 14 is a graph showing relative H460 tumor growth in mice treated with XIAP AS 2×2 MBOs and vinorelbine. Intratumoral injection of oligonucleotides at 50 μg/g tumor mass was performed in SCID-RAG2 mice carrying subcutaneous H460 cell xenografts. This treatment was combined with administration of vinorelbine.

[0061]FIG. 15 is a graph showing mean H460 cell tumor size in mice treated systemically with XIAP AS PS-oligonucleotides. Systemic delivery (i.p.) of XIAP AS PS-oligonucleotides into SCID-RAG2 mice implanted with subcutaneous H460 cell xenografts reduced the size of the tumors, relative to control.

[0062]FIG. 16 is a graph showing MDA-MB-435/LCC6 human breast carcinoma cell (LCC cell) tumor size in mice treated systemically with XIAP AS PS-oligonucleotides. Systemic delivery (i.p.) of XIAP AS PS-oligonucleotides into female SCID-RAG2 mice implanted with LCC6 cell xenografts in mammary fat pads reduced the size of the tumors, relative to control.

[0063]FIG. 17 is a schematic illustration showing in vivo effects of G4 oligonucleotides on tumor growth and tumor XIAP protein levels. Antitumor efficacy of systemically delivered, naked XIAP G4 AS oligonucleotides or G4 SC oligonucleotides on the growth of subcutaneous H460 cell xenografts in male SCID-RAG2 mice. All data are expressed as mean±SEM (n=6 mice/group).

[0064]FIGS. 18A and 18B are schematic illustrations depicting XIAP protein expression levels in H460 tumor xenografts implanted in SCID-RAG2 mice after 21 days treatment with G4 AS oligonucleotides, G4 SC oligonucleotides, or vehicle alone (control), analyzed by western blotting and quantified by densitometry. XIAP levels were normalized to cellular actin levels. All data are expressed as mean±SD (n=3).

[0065]FIGS. 19A and 19B are photomicrographs showing in vivo effects of G4 oligonucleotides on histopathology of H460 tumors implanted in SCID-RAG2 mice after 15 mg/kg systemic dosing of XIAP G4 AS oligonucleotides or G4 SC oligonucleotides over 21 days. FIG. 19A depicts tumor sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin. FIG. 19B shows immunohistochemistry of ubiquitin expression in tumor sections. Representative tumor photomicrographs are shown. Internal scale markers equal 100 μm.

[0066]FIGS. 20A and 20B are graphs showing increased in vivo efficacy of vinorelbine (VNB) in combination with XIAP oligonucleotides. Antitumor efficacy of VNB with or without XIAP G4 AS oligonucleotides or G4 SC oligonucleotides against H460 tumors xenografts was determined in SCID-RAG2 mice. FIG. 20A depicts antitumor activity of single agents, while FIG. 20B depicts antitumor activity of VNB and G4 oligonucleotides in combination. All data are expressed as means±SEM (n=6 mice/group).

[0067]FIG. 21 is a graph showing the effects of HIAP1 oligonucleotides on HIAP1 RNA levels.

[0068]FIGS. 22A and 22B are schematic illustrations showing densitometric scans of western blots showing the effects of HIAP1 oligonucleotides on a cell's ability to block cycloheximide-induced upregulation of HIAP1 protein.

[0069]FIG. 23 is a graph showing the effects of HIAP1 oligonucleotides on cytotoxicity, as measured by total protein.

[0070]FIG. 24 is a graph showing the validation of the sequence specificity for HIAP1 oligonucleotide APO 2.

[0071]FIG. 25 is a graph showing the effect of HIAP1 oligonucleotides on the chemosensitization of drug-resistant SF295 glioblastomas.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0072] The present invention provides nucleobase oligomers that inhibit expression of an IAP, and methods for using them to induce apoptosis in a cell. The nucleobase oligomers of the present invention may also be used to form pharmaceutical compositions. The invention also features methods for enhancing apoptosis in a cell by administering an oligonucleotide of the invention in combination with a chemotherapeutic agent such as a cytotoxic agent, cytostatic agent, or biological response modifying agent (e.g., adriamycin, vinorelbine, etoposide, taxol, cisplatin, interferon, interleukin-2, monoclonal antibodies). The chemotherapeutic agent may be, for example. If desirable, a chemosensitizer (i.e., an agent that makes the proliferating cells more sensitive to the chemotherapy) may also be administered. Any combination of the foregoing agents may also be used to form a pharmaceutical composition. These pharmaceutical compositions may be used to treat a proliferative disease, for example, cancer or a lymphoproliferative disorder, or a symptom of a proliferative disease. The nucleobase oligomer of the invention may also be used in combination with radiotherapy for the treatment of cancer or other proliferative disease.

[0073] Activation of apoptosis in cancer cells offers novel, and potentially useful approaches to improve patient responses to conventional chemotherapy or radiotherapy. XIAP is the most potent member of the IAP gene family in terms of its ability to directly inhibit caspases and to suppress apoptosis. We investigated the effect of XIAP down-regulation by antisense (AS) oligonucleotides on human non-small cell lung cancer (NIH-H460) growth in vitro and in vivo. In cultured H460 human lung cancer cells, oligonucleotide G4 AS was identified as the most potent compound, effectively down-regulated XIAP mRNA by 55% and protein levels up to 60%, as determined by real-time RT-PCR and western blotting, respectively, and induced 60% cell death at 1.2 μM concentrations. In contrast, the scrambled control G4 oligonucleotide caused little XIAP loss and less than 10% cell death. Treatment with G4 AS induced apoptosis, as revealed by degradation of pro-caspase-3 and PARP proteins, with significant nuclear DNA condensation and fragmentation at 1.2 μM concentrations. Moreover, XIAP AS oligonucleotides sensitized H460 cells to the cytotoxic effects of doxorubicin, taxol, vinorelbine, and etoposide. In animal models, we demonstrate that G4 AS at 15 mg/kg had significant sequence-specific growth inhibitory effects on human H460 tumors in xenograft models of SCID/RAG2-immunodeficient mice by systemic intraperitoneal administration. Systemic AS ODN administration was associated with an 85% down-regulation of XIAP protein in tumor xenografts. The combination of 15 mg/kg G4 AS with 5 mg/kg vinorelbine significantly inhibited tumor growth, more than either agent alone. These studies indicate that down-regulation of XIAP is a potent death signal in lung carcinoma cells and is able to induce apoptosis in vitro as well as inhibit tumor growth in vivo. These studies support the contention that IAPs are suitable targets for cancer therapy in human non-small cell lung cancer, as well as other solid tumors.

[0074] Therapy

[0075] Therapy may be provided wherever cancer therapy is performed: at home, the doctor's office, a clinic, a hospital's outpatient department, or a hospital. Treatment generally begins at a hospital so that the doctor can observe the therapy's effects closely and make any adjustments that are needed. The duration of the therapy depends on the kind of cancer being treated, the age and condition of the patient, the stage and type of the patient's disease, and how the patient's body responds to the treatment. Drug administration may be performed at different intervals (e.g., daily, weekly, or monthly). Therapy may be given in on-and-off cycles that include rest periods so that the patient's body has a chance to build healthy new cells and regain its strength.

[0076] Depending on the type of cancer and its stage of development, the therapy can be used to slow the spreading of the cancer, to slow the cancer's growth, to kill or arrest cancer cells that may have spread to other parts of the body from the original tumor, to relieve symptoms caused by the cancer, or to prevent cancer in the first place.

[0077] As used herein, the terms “cancer” or “neoplasm” or “neoplastic cells” is meant a collection of cells multiplying in an abnormal manner. Cancer growth is uncontrolled and progressive, and occurs under conditions that would not elicit, or would cause cessation of, multiplication of normal cells.

[0078] A nucleobase oligomer of the invention, or other negative regulator of the IAP anti-apoptotic pathway, may be administered within a pharmaceutically-acceptable diluent, carrier, or excipient, in unit dosage form. Conventional pharmaceutical practice may be employed to provide suitable formulations or compositions to administer the compounds to patients suffering from a disease that is caused by excessive cell proliferation. Administration may begin before the patient is symptomatic. Any appropriate route of administration may be employed, for example, administration may be parenteral, intravenous, intraarterial, subcutaneous, intratumoral, intramuscular, intracranial, intraorbital, ophthalmic, intraventricular, intrahepatic, intracapsular, intrathecal, intracisternal, intraperitoneal, intranasal, aerosol, suppository, or oral administration. For example, therapeutic formulations may be in the form of liquid solutions or suspensions; for oral administration, formulations may be in the form of tablets or capsules; and for intranasal formulations, in the form of powders, nasal drops, or aerosols.

[0079] Methods well known in the art for making formulations are found, for example, in “Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy” Ed. A. R. Gennaro, Lippincourt Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, Pa., 2000. Formulations for parenteral administration may, for example, contain excipients, sterile water, or saline, polyalkylene glycols such as polyethylene glycol, oils of vegetable origin, or hydrogenated napthalenes. Biocompatible, biodegradable lactide polymer, lactide/glycolide copolymer, or polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene copolymers may be used to control the release of the compounds. Other potentially useful parenteral delivery systems for IAP modulatory compounds include ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer particles, osmotic pumps, implantable infusion systems, and liposomes. Formulations for inhalation may contain excipients, for example, lactose, or may be aqueous solutions containing, for example, polyoxyethylene-9-lauryl ether, glycocholate and deoxycholate, or may be oily solutions for administration in the form of nasal drops, or as a gel.

[0080] The formulations can be administered to human patients in therapeutically effective amounts (e.g., amounts which prevent, eliminate, or reduce a pathological condition) to provide therapy for a disease or condition. The preferred dosage of a nucleobase oligomer of the invention is likely to depend on such variables as the type and extent of the disorder, the overall health status of the particular patient, the formulation of the compound excipients, and its route of administration.

[0081] As described above, if desired, treatment with a nucleobase oligomer of the invention may be combined with therapies for the treatment of proliferative disease (e.g., radiotherapy, surgery, or chemotherapy).

[0082] For any of the methods of application described above, a nucleobase oligomer of the invention is desirably administered intravenously or is applied to the site of the needed apoptosis event (e.g., by injection).

[0083] Oligonucleotides and other Nucleobase Oligomers

[0084] At least two types of oligonucleotides induce the cleavage of RNA by RNase H: polydeoxynucleotides with phosphodiester (PO) or phosphorothioate (PS) linkages. Although 2′-OMe-RNA sequences exhibit a high affinity for RNA targets, these sequences are not substrates for RNase H. A desirable oligonucleotide is one based on 2′-modified oligonucleotides containing oligodeoxynucleotide gaps with some or all internucleotide linkages modified to phosphorothioates for nuclease resistance. The presence of methylphosphonate modifications increases the affinity of the oligonucleotide for its target RNA and thus reduces the IC₅₀. This modification also increases the nuclease resistance of the modified oligonucleotide. It is understood that the methods and reagents of the present invention may be used in conjunction with any technologies that may be developed, including covalently-closed multiple antisense (CMAS) oligonucleotides (Moon et al., Biochem J. 346:295-303, 2000; PCT Publication No. WO 00/61595), ribbon-type antisense (RiAS) oligonucleotides (Moon et al., J. Biol. Chem. 275:4647-4653, 2000; PCT Publication No. WO 00/61595), and large circular antisense oligonucleotides (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0168631 A1).

[0085] As is known in the art, a nucleoside is a nucleobase-sugar combination. The base portion of the nucleoside is normally a heterocyclic base. The two most common classes of such heterocyclic bases are the purines and the pyrimidines. Nucleotides are nucleosides that further include a phosphate group covalently linked to the sugar portion of the nucleoside. For those nucleosides that include a pentofuranosyl sugar, the phosphate group can be linked to either the 2′, 3′ or 5′ hydroxyl moiety of the sugar. In forming oligonucleotides, the phosphate groups covalently link adjacent nucleosides to one another to form a linear polymeric compound. In turn, the respective ends of this linear polymeric structure can be further joined to form a circular structure; open linear structures are generally preferred. Within the oligonucleotide structure, the phosphate groups are commonly referred to as forming the backbone of the oligonucleotide. The normal linkage or backbone of RNA and DNA is a 3′ to 5′ phosphodiester linkage.

[0086] Specific examples of preferred nucleobase oligomers useful in this invention include oligonucleotides containing modified backbones or non-natural internucleoside linkages. As defined in this specification, nucleobase oligomers having modified backbones include those that retain a phosphorus atom in the backbone and those that do not have a phosphorus atom in the backbone. For the purposes of this specification, modified oligonucleotides that do not have a phosphorus atom in their internucleoside backbone are also considered to be nucleobase oligomers.

[0087] Nucleobase oligomers that have modified oligonucleotide backbones include, for example, phosphorothioates, chiral phosphorothioates, phosphorodithioates, phosphotriesters, aminoalkyl-phosphotriesters, methyl and other alkyl phosphonates including 3′-alkylene phosphonates and chiral phosphonates, phosphinates, phosphoramidates including 3′-amino phosphoramidate and aminoalkylphosphoramidates, thionophosphoramidates, thionoalkylphosphonates, thionoalkylphosphotriesters, and boranophosphates having normal 3′-5′ linkages, 2′-5′ linked analogs of these, and those having inverted polarity, wherein the adjacent pairs of nucleoside units are linked 3′-5′ to 5′-3′ or 2′-5′ to 5′-2′. Various salts, mixed salts and free acid forms are also included. Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of the above phosphorus-containing linkages include, but are not limited to, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,687,808; 4,469,863; 4,476,301; 5,023,243; 5,177,196; 5,188,897; 5,264,423; 5,276,019; 5,278,302; 5,286,717; 5,321,131; 5,399,676; 5,405,939; 5,453,496; 5,455,233; 5,466,677; 5,476,925; 5,519,126; 5,536,821; 5,541,306; 5,550,111; 5,563,253; 5,571,799; 5,587,361; and 5,625,050, each of which is herein incorporated by reference.

[0088] Nucleobase oligomers having modified oligonucleotide backbones that do not include a phosphorus atom therein have backbones that are formed by short chain alkyl or cycloalkyl internucleoside linkages, mixed heteroatom and alkyl or cycloalkyl internucleoside linkages, or one or more short chain heteroatomic or heterocyclic internucleoside linkages. These include those having morpholino linkages (formed in part from the sugar portion of a nucleoside); siloxane backbones; sulfide, sulfoxide and sulfone backbones; formacetyl and thioformacetyl backbones; methylene formacetyl and thioformacetyl backbones; alkene containing backbones; sulfamate backbones; methyleneimino and methylenehydrazino backbones; sulfonate and sulfonamide backbones; amide backbones; and others having mixed N, O, S and CH₂ component parts. Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of the above oligonucleotides include, but are not limited to, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,034,506; 5,166,315; 5,185,444; 5,214,134; 5,216,141; 5,235,033; 5,264,562; 5,264,564; 5,405,938; 5,434,257; 5,466,677; 5,470,967; 5,489,677; 5,541,307; 5,561,225; 5,596,086; 5,602,240; 5,610,289; 5,602,240; 5,608,046; 5,610,289; 5,618,704; 5,623,070; 5,663,312; 5,633,360; 5,677,437; and 5,677,439, each of which is herein incorporated by reference.

[0089] In other nucleobase oligomers, both the sugar and the internucleoside linkage, i.e., the backbone, are replaced with novel groups. The nucleobase units are maintained for hybridization with an IAP. One such nucleobase oligomer, is referred to as a Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA). In PNA compounds, the sugar-backbone of an oligonucleotide is replaced with an amide containing backbone, in particular an aminoethylglycine backbone. The nucleobases are retained and are bound directly or indirectly to aza nitrogen atoms of the amide portion of the backbone. Methods for making and using these nucleobase oligomers are described, for example, in “Peptide Nucleic Acids: Protocols and Applications” Ed. P. E. Nielsen, Horizon Press, Norfolk, United Kingdom, 1999. Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of PNAs include, but are not limited to, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,539,082; 5,714,331; and 5,719,262, each of which is herein incorporated by reference. Further teaching of PNA compounds can be found in Nielsen et al., Science, 1991, 254, 1497-1500.

[0090] In particular embodiments of the invention, the nucleobase oligomers have phosphorothioate backbones and nucleosides with heteroatom backbones, and in particular —CH₂—NH—O—CH₂—, —CH₂—N(CH₃)—O—CH₂— (known as a methylene (methylimino) or MMI backbone), —CH₂—O—N(CH₃)—CH₂—, —CH₂—N(CH₃)—N(CH₃)—CH₂—, and —O—N(CH₃)—CH₂—CH₂—. In other embodiments, the oligonucleotides have morpholino backbone structures described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,506.

[0091] Nucleobase oligomers may also contain one or more substituted sugar moieties. Nucleobase oligomers comprise one of the following at the 2′ position: OH; F; O—, S—, or N-alkyl; O—, S—, or N-alkenyl; O—, S— or N—alkynyl; or O-alkyl-O-alkyl, wherein the alkyl, alkenyl, and alkynyl may be substituted or unsubstituted C₁ to C₁₀ alkyl or C₂ to C₁₀ alkenyl and alkynyl. Particularly preferred are O[(CH₂)_(n)O]_(n)CH₃, O(CH₂)_(n)OCH₃, O(CH₂)_(n)NH₂, O(CH₂)_(n)CH₃, O(CH₂)_(n)ONH₂, and O(CH₂)_(n)ON[(CH₂)_(n)CH₃)]₂, where n and m are from 1 to about 10. Other preferred nucleobase oligomers include one of the following at the 2′ position: C₁ to C₁₀ lower alkyl, substituted lower alkyl, alkaryl, aralkyl, O-alkaryl, or O-aralkyl, SH, SCH₃, OCN, Cl, Br, CN, CF₃, OCF₃, SOCH₃, SO₂CH₃, ONO₂, NO₂, NH₂, heterocycloalkyl, heterocycloalkaryl, aminoalkylamino, polyalkylamino, substituted silyl, an RNA cleaving group, a reporter group, an intercalator, a group for improving the pharmacokinetic properties of a nucleobase oligomer, or a group for improving the pharmacodynamic properties of an nucleobase oligomer, and other substituents having similar properties. Preferred modifications are 2′-O-methyl and 2′-methoxyethoxy (2′-O—CH₂CH₂OCH₃, also known as 2′-O-(2-methoxyethyl) or 2′-MOE). Another desirable modification is 2′-dimethylaminooxyethoxy (i.e., O(CH₂)₂ON(CH₃)₂), also known as 2′-DMAOE. Other modifications include, 2′-aminopropoxy (2′-OCH₂CH₂CH₂NH₂) and 2′-fluoro (2′-F). Similar modifications may also be made at other positions on an oligonucleotide or other nucleobase oligomer, particularly the 3′ position of the sugar on the 3′ terminal nucleotide or in 2′-5′ linked oligonucleotides and the 5′ position of 5′ terminal nucleotide. Nucleobase oligomers may also have sugar mimetics such as cyclobutyl moieties in place of the pentofuranosyl sugar. Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of such modified sugar structures include, but are not limited to, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,981,957; 5,118,800; 5,319,080; 5,359,044; 5,393,878; 5,446,137; 5,466,786; 5,514,785; 5,519,134; 5,567,811; 5,576,427; 5,591,722; 5,597,909; 5,610,300; 5,627,053; 5,639,873; 5,646,265; 5,658,873; 5,670,633; and 5,700,920, each of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0092] Nucleobase oligomers may also include nucleobase modifications or substitutions. As used herein, “unmodified” or “natural” nucleobases include the purine bases adenine (A) and guanine (G), and the pyrimidine bases thymine (T), cytosine (C) and uracil (U). Modified nucleobases include other synthetic and natural nucleobases, such as 5-methylcytosine (5-me-C), 5-hydroxymethyl cytosine, xanthine, hypoxanthine, 2-aminoadenine, 6-methyl and other alkyl derivatives of adenine and guanine; 2-propyl and other alkyl derivatives of adenine and guanine; 2-thiouracil, 2-thiothymine and 2-thiocytosine; 5-halouracil and cytosine; 5-propynyl uracil and cytosine; 6-azo uracil, cytosine and thymine; 5-uracil (pseudouracil); 4-thiouracil; 8-halo, 8-amino, 8-thiol, 8-thioalkyl, 8-hydroxyl and other 8-substituted adenines and guanines; 5-halo (e.g., 5-bromo), 5-trifluoromethyl and other 5-substituted uracils and cytosines; 7-methylguanine and 7-methyladenine; 8-azaguanine and 8-azaadenine; 7-deazaguanine and 7-deazaadenine; and 3-deazaguanine and 3-deazaadenine. Further nucleobases include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,808, those disclosed in The Concise Encyclopedia Of Polymer Science And Engineering, pages 858-859, Kroschwitz, J. I., ed. John Wiley & Sons, 1990, those disclosed by Englisch et al., Angewandte Chemie, International Edition, 1991, 30, 613, and those disclosed by Sanghvi, Y. S., Chapter 15, Antisense Research and Applications, pages 289-302, Crooke, S. T. and Lebleu, B., ed., CRC Press, 1993. Certain of these nucleobases are particularly useful for increasing the binding affinity of an antisense oligonucleotide of the invention. These include 5-substituted pyrimidines, 6-azapyrimidines, and N-2, N-6 and 0-6 substituted purines, including 2-aminopropyladenine, 5-propynyluracil and 5-propynylcytosine. 5-methylcytosine substitutions have been shown to increase nucleic acid duplex stability by 0.6-1.2.degree. C. (Sanghvi, Y. S., Crooke, S. T. and Lebleu, B., eds., Antisense Research and Applications, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1993, pp. 276-278) and are desirable base substitutions, even more particularly when combined with 2′-O-methoxyethyl or 2′-O-methyl sugar modifications. Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of certain of the above noted modified nucleobases as well as other modified nucleobases include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,845,205; 5,130,302; 5,134,066; 5,175,273; 5,367,066; 5,432,272; 5,457,187; 5,459,255; 5,484,908; 5,502,177; 5,525,711; 5,552,540; 5,587,469; 5,594,121, 5,596,091; 5,614,617; 5,681,941; and 5,750,692, each of which is herein incorporated by reference.

[0093] Another modification of a nucleobase oligomer of the invention involves chemically linking to the nucleobase oligomer one or more moieties or conjugates that enhance the activity, cellular distribution, or cellular uptake of the oligonucleotide. Such moieties include but are not limited to lipid moieties such as a cholesterol moiety (Letsinger et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 86:6553-6556, 1989), cholic acid (Manoharan et al., Bioorg. Med. Chem. Let, 4:1053-1060, 1994), a thioether, e.g., hexyl-S-tritylthiol (Manoharan et al., Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 660:306-309, 1992; Manoharan et al., Bioorg. Med. Chem. Let., 3:2765-2770, 1993), a thiocholesterol (Oberhauser et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 20:533-538: 1992), an aliphatic chain, e.g., dodecandiol or undecyl residues (Saison-Behmoaras et al., EMBO J., 10:1111-1118, 1991; Kabanov et al., FEBS Lett., 259:327-330, 1990; Svinarchuk et al., Biochimie, 75:49-54, 1993), a phospholipid, e.g., di-hexadecyl-rac-glycerol or triethylammonium 1,2-di-O-hexadecyl-rac-glycero-3-H-phosphonate (Manoharan et al., Tetrahedron Lett., 36:3651-3654, 1995; Shea et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 18:3777-3783, 1990), a polyamine or a polyethylene glycol chain (Manoharan et al., Nucleosides & Nucleotides, 14:969-973, 1995), or adamantane acetic acid (Manoharan et al., Tetrahedron Lett., 36:3651-3654, 1995), a palmityl moiety (Mishra et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1264:229-237, 1995), or an octadecylamine or hexylamino-carbonyl-oxycholesterol moiety (Crooke et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 277:923-937, 1996. Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of such nucleobase oligomer conjugates include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,587,044; 4,605,735; 4,667,025; 4,762,779; 4,789,737; 4,824,941; 4,828,979; 4,835,263; 4,876,335; 4,904,582; 4,948,882; 4,958,013; 5,082,830; 5,109,124; 5,112,963; 5,118,802; 5,138,045; 5,214,136; 5,218,105; 5,245,022; 5,254,469; 5,258,506; 5,262,536; 5,272,250; 5,292,873; 5,317,098; 5,371,241, 5,391,723; 5,414,077; 5,416,203, 5,451,463; 5,486,603; 5,510,475; 5,512,439; 5,512,667; 5,514,785; 5,525,465; 5,541,313; 5,545,730; 5,552,538; 5,565,552; 5,567,810; 5,574,142; 5,578,717; 5,578,718; 5,580,731; 5,585,481; 5,587,371; 5,591,584; 5,595,726; 5,597,696; 5,599,923; 5,599,928; 5,608,046; and 5,688,941, each of which is herein incorporated by reference.

[0094] The present invention also includes nucleobase oligomers that are chimeric compounds. “Chimeric” nucleobase oligomers are nucleobase oligomers, particularly oligonucleotides, that contain two or more chemically distinct regions, each made up of at least one monomer unit, i.e., a nucleotide in the case of an oligonucleotide. These nucleobase oligomers typically contain at least one region where the nucleobase oligomer is modified to confer, upon the nucleobase oligomer, increased resistance to nuclease degradation, increased cellular uptake, and/or increased binding affinity for the target nucleic acid. An additional region of the nucleobase oligomer may serve as a substrate for enzymes capable of cleaving RNA:DNA or RNA:RNA hybrids. By way of example, RNase H is a cellular endonuclease which cleaves the RNA strand of an RNA:DNA duplex. Activation of RNase H, therefore, results in cleavage of the RNA target, thereby greatly enhancing the efficiency of nucleobase oligomer inhibition of gene expression. Consequently, comparable results can often be obtained with shorter nucleobase oligomers when chimeric nucleobase oligomers are used, compared to phosphorothioate deoxyoligonucleotides hybridizing to the same target region.

[0095] Chimeric nucleobase oligomers of the invention may be formed as composite structures of two or more nucleobase oligomers as described above. Such nucleobase oligomers, when oligonucleotides, have also been referred to in the art as hybrids or gapmers. Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of such hybrid structures include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,013,830; 5,149,797; 5,220,007; 5,256,775; 5,366,878; 5,403,711; 5,491,133; 5,565,350; 5,623,065; 5,652,355; 5,652,356; and 5,700,922, each of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0096] The nucleobase oligomers used in accordance with this invention may be conveniently and routinely made through the well-known technique of solid phase synthesis. Equipment for such synthesis is sold by several vendors including, for example, Applied Biosystems (Foster City, Calif.). Any other means for such synthesis known in the art may additionally or alternatively be employed. It is well known to use similar techniques to prepare oligonucleotides such as the phosphorothioates and alkylated derivatives.

[0097] The nucleobase oligomers of the invention may also be admixed, encapsulated, conjugated or otherwise associated with other molecules, molecule structures or mixtures of compounds, as for example, liposomes, receptor targeted molecules, oral, rectal, topical or other formulations, for assisting in uptake, distribution and/or absorption. Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of such uptake, distribution and/or absorption assisting formulations include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,108,921; 5,354,844; 5,416,016; 5,459,127; 5,521,291; 5,543,158; 5,547,932; 5,583,020; 5,591,721; 4,426,330; 4,534,899; 5,013,556; 5,108,921; 5,213,804; 5,227,170; 5,264,221; 5,356,633; 5,395,619; 5,416,016; 5,417,978; 5,462,854; 5,469,854; 5,512,295; 5,527,528; 5,534,259; 5,543,152; 5,556,948; 5,580,575; and 5,595,756, each of which is herein incorporated by reference.

[0098] The nucleobase oligomers of the invention encompass any pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, or salts of such esters, or any other compound that, upon administration to an animal, is capable of providing (directly or indirectly) the biologically active metabolite or residue thereof. Accordingly, for example, the disclosure is also drawn to prodrugs and pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds of the invention, pharmaceutically acceptable salts of such prodrugs, and other bioequivalents.

[0099] The term “prodrug” indicates a therapeutic agent that is prepared in an inactive form that is converted to an active form (i.e., drug) within the body or cells thereof by the action of endogenous enzymes or other chemicals and/or conditions. In particular, prodrug versions of the oligonucleotides of the invention can be prepared as SATE [(S-acetyl-2-thioethyl) phosphate] derivatives according to the methods disclosed in PCT publication Nos. WO 93/24510 or WO 94/26764.

[0100] The term “pharmaceutically acceptable salts” refers to salts that retain the desired biological activity of the parent compound and do not impart undesired toxicological effects thereto. Pharmaceutically acceptable base addition salts are formed with metals or amines, such as alkali and alkaline earth metals or organic amines. Examples of metals used as cations are sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and the like. Examples of suitable amines are N,N′-dibenzylethylenediamine, chloroprocaine, choline, diethanolamine, dicyclohexylamine, ethylenediamine, N-methylglucamine, and procaine (see, for example, Berge et al., J. Pharma Sci., 66:1-19, 1977). The base addition salts of acidic compounds are prepared by contacting the free acid form with a sufficient amount of the desired base to produce the salt in the conventional manner. The free acid form may be regenerated by contacting the salt form with an acid and isolating the free acid in the conventional manner. The free acid forms differ from their respective salt forms somewhat in certain physical properties such as solubility in polar solvents, but otherwise the salts are equivalent to their respective free acid for purposes of the present invention. As used herein, a “pharmaceutical addition salt” includes a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of an acid form of one of the components of the compositions of the invention. These include organic or inorganic acid salts of the amines. Preferred acid salts are the hydrochlorides, acetates, salicylates, nitrates and phosphates. Other suitable pharmaceutically acceptable salts are well known to those skilled in the art and include basic salts of a variety of inorganic and organic acids, such as, for example, with inorganic acids, such as for example hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid; with organic carboxylic, sulfonic, sulfo or phospho acids or N-substituted sulfamic acids, for example acetic acid, propionic acid, glycolic acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, hydroxymaleic acid, methylmaleic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, oxalic acid, gluconic acid, glucaric acid, glucuronic acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, mandelic acid, salicylic acid, 4-aminosalicylic acid, 2-phenoxybenzoic acid, 2-acetoxybenzoic acid, embonic acid, nicotinic acid or isonicotinic acid; and with amino acids, such as the 20 alpha-amino acids involved in the synthesis of proteins in nature, for example glutamic acid or aspartic acid, and also with phenylacetic acid, methanesulfonic acid, ethanesulfonic acid, 2-hydroxyethanesulfonic acid, ethane-1,2-disulfonic acid, benzenesulfonic acid, 4-methylbenzenesulfonic acid, naphthalene-2-sulfonic acid, naphthalene-1,5-disulfonic acid, 2- or 3-phosphoglycerate, glucose-6-phosphate, N-cyclohexylsulfamic acid (with the formation of cyclamates), or with other acid organic compounds, such as ascorbic acid. Pharmaceutically acceptable salts of compounds may also be prepared with a pharmaceutically acceptable cation. Suitable pharmaceutically acceptable cations are well known to those skilled in the art and include alkaline, alkaline earth, ammonium and quaternary ammonium cations. Carbonates or hydrogen carbonates are also possible.

[0101] For oligonucleotides and other nucleobase oligomers, suitable pharmaceutically acceptable salts include (i) salts formed with cations such as sodium, potassium, ammonium, magnesium, calcium, polyamines such as spermine and spermidine, etc.; (ii) acid addition salts formed with inorganic acids, for example hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid and the like; (iii) salts formed with organic acids such as, for example, acetic acid, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, citric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, benzoic acid, tannic acid, palmitic acid, alginic acid, polyglutamic acid, naphthalenesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, naphthalenedisulfonic acid, polygalacturonic acid, and the like; and (iv) salts formed from elemental anions such as chlorine, bromine, and iodine.

[0102] The present invention also includes pharmaceutical compositions and formulations that include the nucleobase oligomers of the invention. The pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention may be administered in a number of ways depending upon whether local or systemic treatment is desired and upon the area to be treated. Administration may be topical (including ophthalmic and to mucous membranes including vaginal and rectal delivery), pulmonary, e.g., by inhalation or insufflation of powders or aerosols, including by nebulizer; intratracheal, intranasal, epidermal and transdermal), oral, or parenteral. Parenteral administration includes intravenous, intraarterial, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, or intramuscular injection or infusion; or intracranial, e.g., intrathecal or intraventricular, administration.

[0103] Locked Nucleic Acids

[0104] Locked nucleic acids (LNAs) are nucleobase oligomers that can be employed in the present invention. LNAs contain a 2′O, 4′-C methylene bridge that restrict the flexibility of the ribofuranose ring of the nucleotide analog and locks it into the rigid bicyclic N-type conformation. LNAs show improved resistance to certain exo- and endonucleases and activate RNAse H, and can be incorporated into almost any nucleobase oligomer. Moreover, LNA-containing nucleobase oligomers can be prepared using standard phosphoramidite synthesis protocols. Additional details regarding LNAs can be found in PCT publication No. WO 99/14226 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0094555 μl, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0105] Arabinonucleic Acids

[0106] Arabinonucleic acids (ANAs) can also be employed in methods and reagents of the present invention. ANAs are nucleobase oligomers based on D-arabinose sugars instead of the natural D-2′-deoxyribose sugars. Underivatized ANA analogs have similar binding affinity for RNA as do phosphorothioates. When the arabinose sugar is derivatized with fluorine (2′F-ANA), an enhancement in binding affinity results, and selective hydrolysis of bound RNA occurs efficiently in the resulting ANA/RNA and F-ANA/RNA duplexes. These analogs can be made stable in cellular media by a derivatization at their termini with simple L sugars. The use of ANAs in therapy is discussed, for example, in Damha et al., Nucleosides Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids 20: 429-440, 2001.

[0107] Delivery of Nucleobase Oligomers

[0108] We demonstrate herein that naked oligonucleotides are capable on entering tumor cells and inhibiting IAP expression. Nonetheless, it may be desirable to utilize a formulation that aids in the delivery of oligonucleotides or other nucleobase oligomers to cells (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,656,611, 5,753,613, 5,785,992, 6,120,798, 6,221,959, 6,346,613, and 6,353,055, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference).

[0109] Ribozymes

[0110] Catalytic RNA molecules or ribozymes that include an antisense IAP sequence of the present invention can be used to inhibit expression of an IAP polynucleotide in vivo. The inclusion of ribozyme sequences within antisense RNAs confers RNA-cleaving activity upon them, thereby increasing the activity of the constructs. The design and use of target RNA-specific ribozymes is described in Haseloff et al., Nature 334:585-591. 1988, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0003469 A1, each of which is incorporated by reference.

[0111] Accordingly, the invention also features a catalytic RNA molecule that includes, in the binding arm, an antisense RNA having between eight and nineteen consecutive nucleobases corresponding to a sequence of any one of Tables 1, 2, 6, and 7. In preferred embodiments of this invention, the catalytic nucleic acid molecule is formed in a hammerhead or hairpin motif, but may also be formed in the motif of a hepatitis delta virus, group 1 intron or RNaseP RNA (in association with an RNA guide sequence) or Neurospora VS RNA. Examples of such hammerhead motifs are described by Rossi et al., Aids Research and Human Retroviruses, 8:183, 1992. Example of hairpin motifs are described by Hampel et al., “RNA Catalyst for Cleaving Specific RNA Sequences,” filed Sep. 20, 1989, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 07/247,100 filed Sep. 20, 1988, Hampel and Tritz, Biochemistry, 28:4929, 1989, and Hampel et al., Nucleic Acids Research, 18: 299, 1990. An example of the hepatitis delta virus motif is described by Perrotta and Been, Biochemistry, 31:16, 1992. The RNaseP motif is described by Guerrier-Takada et al., Cell, 35:849, 1983. The Neurospora VS RNA ribozyme motif is described by Collins et al. (Saville and Collins, Cell 61:685-696, 1990; Saville and Collins, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:8826-8830, 1991; Collins and Olive, Biochemistry 32:2795-2799, 1993). These specific motifs are not limiting in the invention and those skilled in the art will recognize that all that is important in an enzymatic nucleic acid molecule of this invention is that it has a specific substrate binding site which is complementary to one or more of the target gene RNA regions, and that it have nucleotide sequences within or surrounding that substrate binding site which impart an RNA cleaving activity to the molecule.

[0112] RNA Interference

[0113] The nucleobase oligomers of the present invention may be employed in double-stranded RNAs for RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knock-down of IAP expression. RNAi is a method for decreasing the cellular expression of specific proteins of interest (reviewed in Tuschl, Chembiochem 2:239-245, 2001; Sharp, Genes & Devel. 15:485-490, 2000; Hutvagner and Zamore, Curr. Opin. Genet. Devel. 12:225-232, 2002; and Hannon, Nature 418:244-251, 2002). In RNAi, gene silencing is typically triggered post-transcriptionally by the presence of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in a cell. This dsRNA is processed intracellularly into shorter pieces called small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). The introduction of siRNAs into cells either by transfection of dsRNAs or through expression of siRNAs using a plasmid-based expression system is increasingly being used to create loss-of-function phenotypes in mammalian cells.

[0114] In one embodiment of the invention, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecule is made that includes between eight and nineteen consecutive nucleobases of a nucleobase oligomer of the invention. The dsRNA can be two distinct strands of RNA that have duplexed, or a single RNA strand that has self-duplexed (small hairpin (sh)RNA). Typically, dsRNAs are about 21 or 22 base pairs, but may be shorter or longer (up to about 29 nucleobases) if desired. dsRNA can be made using standard techniques (e.g., chemical synthesis or in vitro transcription). Kits are available, for example, from Ambion (Austin, Tex.) and Epicentre (Madison, Wis.). Methods for expressing dsRNA in mammalian cells are described in Brummelkamp et al. Science 296:550-553, 2002; Paddison et al. Genes & Devel. 16:948-958, 2002. Paul et al. Nature Biotechnol. 20:505-508, 2002; Sui et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99:5515-5520, 2002; Yu et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99:6047-6052, 2002; Miyagishi et al. Nature Biotechnol. 20:497-500, 2002; and Lee et al. Nature Biotechnol. 20:500-505 2002,, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0115] Small hairpin RNAs consist of a stem-loop structure with optional 3′ UU-overhangs. While there may be variation, stems can range from 21 to 31 bp (desirably 25 to 29 bp), and the loops can range from 4 to 30 bp (desirably 4 to 23 bp). For expression of shRNAs within cells, plasmid vectors containing either the polymerase III H1-RNA or U6 promoter, a cloning site for the stem-looped RNA insert, and a 4-5-thymidine transcription termination signal can be employed. The Polymerase III promoters generally have well-defined initiation and stop sites and their transcripts lack poly(A) tails. The termination signal for these promoters is defined by the polythymidine tract, and the transcript is typically cleaved after the second uridine. Cleavage at this position generates a 3′ UU overhang in the expressed shRNA, which is similar to the 3′ overhangs of synthetic siRNAs. Additional methods for expressing the shRNA in mammalian cells are described in the references cited above.

[0116] The following examples are to illustrate the invention. They are not meant to limit the invention in any way.

EXAMPLE 1 Nucleobase oligomer Selection

[0117] We selected 96 and 98, mostly non-overlapping, 19-mer nucleobase sequences for human XIAP and HIAP1, respectively, based on the selection criteria listed below. In the case of XIAP, we selected 96 sequences (each being 19 nucleobases in length) (SEQ ID NOs: 1 through 96; Table 1), from a region approximately 1 kb upstream of the start codon to approximately 1 kb downstream of the stop codon of the cDNA sequence. This blanketed approximately 50% of the coding region, and immediate 5′ and 3′ UTR sequences (i.e., 96 19-mers span 1.8 kb of sequence, while the targeted region is approximately 3.5 kb in length, comprised of a coding region of 1.5 kb plus 1 kb at either side of UTR sequences). TABLE 1 XIAP down- XIAP down- XIAP down- SEQ ID regulation regulation regulation NO: Code Nucleobase Sequence T24 RNA T24 protein H460 RNA 1 A1 AAAATTCTAAGTACCTGCA — — 48% 2 B1 TCTAGAGGGTGGCTCAGGA — — 66% 3 C1 CAGATATATATGTAACACT — — 66% 4 D1 TGAGAGCCCTTTTTTTGTT — — 75% 5 E1 AGTATGAAATATTTCTGAT — — 69% 6 F1 ATTGGTTCCAATGTGTTCT — — 81% 7 G1 TTAGCAAAATATGTTTTAA — — 33% 8 H1 TGAATTAATTTTTAATATC — — 13% 9 A2 ATTCAAGGCATCAAAGTTG — — 58% 10 B2 GTCAAATCATTAATTAGGA — — 55% 11 C2 AATATGTAAACTGTGATGC 36% 45% 70% 12 D2 GCAGAATAAAACTAATAAT — — 39% 13 E2 GAAAGTAATATTTAAGCAG 54% 51% 60% 14 F2 TTACCACATCATTCAAGTC — — 34% 15 G2 CTAAATACTAGAGTTCGAC — — 55% 16 H2 ACACGACCGCTAAGAAACA — — 46% 17 A3 TATCCACTTATGACATAAA — — 27% 18 B3 GTTATAGGAGCTAACAAAT — — 34% 19 C3 AATGTGAAACACAAGCAAC — — 43% 20 D3 ACATTATATTAGGAAATCC — — 30% 21 E3 CTTGTCCACCTTTTCTAAA 53% 64% 55% 22 F3 ATCTTCTCTTGAAAATAGG 44% 53% — 23 G3 CCTTCAAAACTGTTAAAAG — — — 24 H3 ATGTCTGCAGGTACACAAG — — — 25 A4 ATCTATTAAACTCTTCTAC — — — 26 B4 ACAGGACTACCACTTGGAA — — 76% 27 C4 TGCCAGTGTTGATGCTGAA 28% 56% 77% 28 D4 GTATAAAGAAACCCTGCTC 12% 43% 51% 29 E4 CGCACGGTATCTCCTTCAC 47% 34% 51% 30 F4 CTACAGCTGCATGACAACT 33% 43% — 31 G4 GCTGAGTCTCCATATTGCC 34% 48% 51% 32 H4 ATACTTTCCTGTGTCTTCC — — — 33 A5 GATAAATCTGCAATTTGGG — — — 34 B5 TTGTAGACTGCGTGGCACT — — 61% 35 C5 ACCATTCTGGATACCAGAA 71% 54% — 36 D5 AGTTTTCAACTTTGTACTG 39% 33% — 37 5A TGATCTCTGCTTCCCAGA — — 46% 38 F5 AGATGGCCTGTCTAAGGCA — — — 39 G5 AGTTCTCAAAAGATAGTCT — — 30% 40 H5 GTGTCTGATATATCTACAA — — 39% 41 A6 TCGGGTATATGGTGTCTGA — — 72% 42 B6 CAGGGTTCCTCGGGTATAT 51% 47% — 43 C6 GCTTCTTCACAATACATGG — — — 44 D6 GGCCAGTTCTGAAAGGACT — — 60% 45 E6 GCTAACTCTCTTGGGGTTA — — — 46 F6 GTGTAGTAGAGTCCAGCAC 34% 39% — 47 G6 AAGCACTGCACTTGGTCAC — — 69% 48 H6 TTCAGTTTTCCACCACAAC — — 68% 49 A7 ACGATCACAAGGTTCCCAA — — — 50 B7 TCGCCTGTGTTCTGACCAG — — — 51 C7 CCGGCCCAAAACAAAGAAG — — 72% 52 D7 GATTCACTTCGAATATTAA 56% 88% 46% 53 E7 TATCAGAACTCACAGCATC — — — 54 F7 GGAAGATTTGTTGAATTTG — — 69% 55 G7 TCTGCCATGGATGGATTTC — — 41% 56 H7 AAGTAAAGATCCGTGCTTC — — 63% 57 A8 CTGAGTATATCCATGTCCC — — — 58 B8 GCAAGCTGCTCCTTGTTAA — — — 59 C8 AAAGCATAAAATCCAGCTC — — 16% 60 D8 GAAAGCACTTTACTTTATC 38% 26% 49% 61 H8 ACTGGGCTTCCAATCAGTT — — — 62 E8 GTTGTTCCCAAGGGTCTTC 72% 56% 44% 63 F8 ACCCTGGATACCATTTAGC — — 47% 64 G8 TGTTCTAACAGATATTTGC — — 49% 65 A9 TATATATTCTTGTCCCTTC — — 62% 66 B9 AGTTAAATGAATATTGTTT — — 38% 67 C9 GACACTCCTCAAGTGAATG — — — 68 D9 TTTCTCAGTAGTTCTTACC — — 39% 69 E9 GTTAGTGATGGTGTTTTCT — — 43% 70 F9 AGATGGTATCATCAATTCT — — 19% 71 G9 TGTACCATAGGATTTTGGA — — — 72 H9 CCCCATTCGTATAGCTTCT — — — 73 A10 ATTATTTTCTTAATGTCCT — — 29% 74 B10 CAAGTGATTTATAGTTGCT — — — 75 C10 TAGATCTGCAACCAGAACC — — 53% 76 D10 CATCTTGCATACTGTCTTT — — 55% 77 E10 CCTTAGCTGCTCTTCAGTA — — — 78 F10 AAGCTTCTCCTCTTGCAGG — — 51% 79 G10 ATATTTCTATCCATACAGA — — 56% 80 H10 CTAGATGTCCACAAGGAAC — — — 81 A11 AGCACATTGTTTACAAGTG — — 68% 82 B11 AGCACATGGGACACTTGTC — — 63% 83 C11 CTTGAAAGTAATGACTGTG — — 52% 84 D11 CCTACTATAGAGTTAGATT — — — 85 E11 ATTCAATCAGGGTAATAAG — — 48% 86 F11 AAGTCAGTTCACATCACAC — — 64% 87 G11 CAGTAAAAAAAATGGATAA — — 33% 88 H11 TTCAGTTATAGTATGATGC — — — 89 A12 TACACTTAGAAATTAAATC — — 46% 90 B12 TCTCTATCTTTCCACCAGC — — — 91 C12 AGAATCCTAAAACACAACA — — — 92 D12 ATTCGCACAAGTACGTGTT — — 77% 93 E12 TGTCAGTACATGTTGGCTC — — 74% 94 F12 ACATAGTGTTTTGCCACTT — — 74% 95 G12 CTTTGATCTGGCTCAGACT — — 76% 96 H12 GAAACCACATTTAACAGTT — — 52%

[0118] Note that in any of the foregoing nucleobase oligomers, or any other nucleobase oligomers described herein, each nucleobase may independently be a DNA residue or RNA residue, such as a 2′-O-methyl or 2′-O-methoxyelthyl RNA residue. For example, the nucleobase sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 may be, for example, 5′-CAGATATATATG TAACACT-3′, 5′-CAGATATATATGTAACACU-3′, or 5′-mCmAGATATATATGTA ACAmCmU-3′ (wherein mX represents a 2′-O-methyl X residue). Additional modified nucleobases are known in the art. The linkages may be phosphodiester (PO), phosphorothioate (PS), or methylphosphonate (MP) linkages, or may have a mixed backbone (MB). The backbone may be any suitable backbone that allows hybridization of the nucleobase oligomer to the target IAP polynucleotide. Exemplary backbones are described herein. In other embodiments, the nucleobase oligomers include acridine-protected linkages, cholesteryl or psoralen components, C5-propynyl pyrimidines, or C5-methylpyrimidines. Suitable modifications to the nucleobase oligomers of the invention include those described above, as well as those in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0128216 A1, hereby incorporated by reference.

[0119] Examples of nucleobase oligomers are provided in Table 2, below (wherein mX represents a 2′-O-methyl X RNA residue). TABLE 2 SEQ ID NO: 2 × 2 MB PO DE4 as mGmGTATCTCCTTCACCAGmUmA 97 DE4 rev mAmUGACCACTTCCTCTATmGmG 98 δBC5 as mGmATACCAGAATTTmGmU 99 δBC5 rev mUmGTTTAAGACCATmAmG 100 mG4 as mGmCTGAGTCTCCATACTGmCmC 101 mG4 sm mGmGCTCTCTGCCCACTGAmAmU 102 3 × 3 MB PO F3 as mAmUmCTTCTCTTGAAAATmAmGmG 103 F3 ser mCmAmGAGATTTCATTTAAmCmGmU 104 F3 mm mAmUmCTTGACTTGATTATmAmGmG 105 F3 rev mGmGmATAAAAGTTCTCTTmCmUmpA 106 E4 as mCmGmCACGGTATCTCCTTmCmAmC 107 E4 ser mCmUmACGCTCGCCATCGTmUmCmA 108 E4 rev mCmAmCTTCCTCTATGGCAmCmGmC 109 E4 mm mCmGmCACCCTATCTGGTTmCmAmC 110 G4 as mGmCmUGAGTCTCCATATTmGmCmC 111 G4 scr mGmGmCTCTTTCGCCACTGmAmAmU 112 G4 rev mCmCmGTTATACCTCTGAGmUmCmG 113 G4 mm mGmCmUGACACTCCAATTTmGmCmC 114 C5 as mAmCmCATTCTGGTAACCAmGmAmA 115 C5 scr mUmGmCCCAAGAATACTAGmUmCmA 116 C5 mm mAmCmCATAGTGGATTGCAmGmAmA 117 C5 rev mAmAmGACCATAGGTCTTAmCmCmA 118 D7 as mGmAmUTCACTTCTTCGAATATmUmAmA 119 D7 scr mUmGmAAATGTAAATCATCmUmUmC 120 D7 mm mGmAmUTCTGTTCGATAATmUmAmA 121 D7 rev mAmAmUTATAAGCTTCACTmUmAmG 122 Phosphorothioate PS-G4 as GCTGAGTCTCCATATTGCC 123 PS-G4 sm GGCTCTTTGCCCACTGAAT 124 PS-C5 as ACCATTCTGGATACCAGAA 125 PS-C5 rev AAGACCATAGGTCTTACCA 126 PS-F3 as ATCTTCTCTTGAAAATAGG 127 PS-F3 rev GGATAAAAGTTCTCTTCTA 128 PS-DE4 as GGTATCTCCTTCACCAGTA 129 PS-DE4 rev ATGACCACTTCCTCTATGG 130 PS-BC5 as TCTGGATACCAGAATTTGT 131 PS-BC5 rev TGTTTAAGACCATAGGTCT 132 PS-AB6 as GGGTTCCTCGGGTATATGG 133 PS-AB6 rs GGTATATGGCGTCCTTGGG 134 PS-D7 as GATTCACTTCGAATATTAA 135 PS-D7 rs AATTATAACGTTCACTTAG 136 Penetratin F3 as ATCTTCTCTTGAAAATAGG 137 G4 as GCTGAGTCTCCATATTGCC 138 D7 as GATTCACTTCGAATATTAA 139 C5 cs TGCCCAAGAATACTAGTCA 140 4 × 4 MBO PS (phosphorothioate linkages throughout) G4 as mGmCmUmGAGTCTCCATATmUmGmCmC 141 G4 sm mGmGmCmUCTTTGCCCACTmGmAmAmU 142 DE4 as mGmGmUmATCTCCTTCACCmAmGmUmA 143 DE4 rev mAmUmGmACCACTTCCTCTmAmUmGmG 144 E2 as mGmAmAmAGTAATATTTAAmGmCmAmG 145 E2 rm mGmAmGmCAATTTATAATGmAmAmAmG 146 H2G as mAmCmCmGCTAAGAAACATmUmCmUmA 147 H2G rm mAmUmCmUTACAAAGAATCmCmGmCmA 148 A3 as mUmAmUmCCACTTATGACAmUmAmAmA 149 A3 rev mAmAmAmUACAGTATTCACmCmUmAmU 150 FG8 as mUmGmCmACCCTGGATACCmAmUmUmU 151 FG8 rm mUmUmUmACCATAGGTCCCmAmGmCmU 152 mG4 as mGmCmUmGAGTCTCCATACmUmGmCmC 153 mG4 sm mGmGmCmUCTCTGCCCACTmGmAmAmU 154 F1 as mAmUmUmGGTTCCAATGTGmUmUmCmU 155 F1 rev mUmCmUmUGTGTAACCTTGmGmUmUmA 156 B4 as mAmCmAmGGACTACCACTTmGmGmAmA 157 B4 rev mAmAmGmGTTCACCATCAGmGmAmCmA 158 G6 as mAmAmGmCACTGCACTTGGmUmCmAmC 159 G6 sm mCmAmCmTGGTTGACCTCAmCmAmAmG 160 E12 as mUmGmUmCAGTACATGTTGmGmCmUmC 161 El2 sm mCmUmAmGGTTGTCCATGAmCmUmGmU 162

[0120] A similar identification approach was taken for designing nucleobase oligomers against HIAP1. Initially, 98 19-mer nucleobase oligomers were chosen (SEQ ID NOs: 163-260; Table 3). Of these 98 nucleobase oligomers targeted to the HIAP1 sequence, fifteen (SEQ ID NOs: 163-170, 173, 179, 202, 222, 223, 247, and 259) were selected for further evaluation. These fifteen candidate nucleobase oligomers included four nucleobase oligomers targeting the coding region (SEQ ID NOs: 202, 222, 223, and 247), one nucleobase oligomer targeting the 3′ UTR (SEQ ID NO: 259), seven nucleobase oligomers targeting the 5′ UTR (SEQ ID NOs: 166-170, 173, and 179; one of the seven nucleobase oligomers overlapped the start codon), and three other oligonucleotides (SEQ ID NOs: 163-165) that were designed to target an intronic segment of the 5′ UTR. TABLE 3 SEQ ID NO: Code Nucleobase Oligomer Sequence 163 APO 1 TCATTTGAGCCTGGGAGGT 164 APO 2 CGGAGGCTGAGGCAGGAGA 165 APO 3 GGTGTGGTGGTACGCGCCT 166 APO 4 ACCCATGCACAAAACTACC 167 APO 5 AGAATGTGCCAGTAGGAGA 168 APO 6 TCTCACAGACGTTGGGCTT 169 APO 7 CCAGTGGTTTGCAAGCATG 170 APO 8 GAAATTTAGTGGCCAGGAA 171 AGAAATACACAATTGCACC 172 TACTGATACATTTTAAGGA 173 APO 9 TTCAACATGGAGATTCTAA 174 ATTTCTATGCATTTAGAGT 175 AATACTAGGCTGAAAAGCC 176 GGCTTTGCTTTTATCAGTT 177 TCTAGGGAGGTAGTTTTGT 178 GGGAAGAAAAGGGACTAGC 179 APO 10 GTTCATAATGAAATGAATG 180 ATAAGAATATGCTGTTTTC 181 TTCAAACGTGTTGGCGCTT 182 ATGACAAGTCGTATTTCAG 183 AAGTGGAATACGTAGACAT 184 AGACAGGAACCCCAGCAGG 185 CGAGCAAGACTCCTTTCTG 186 AGTGTAATAGAAACCAGCA 187 TGACCTTGTCATTCACACC 188 TTATCCAGCATCAGGCCAC 189 ACTGTCTCCTCTTTTCCAG 190 TTTTATGCTTTTCAGTAGG 191 ACGAATCTGCAGCTAGGAT 192 CAAGTTGTTAACGGAATTT 193 TAGGCTGAGAGGTAGCTTC 194 GTTACTGAAGAAGGAAAAG 195 GAATGAGTGTGTGGAATGT 196 TGTTTTCTGTACCCGGAAG 197 GAGCCACGGAAATATCCAC 198 TGATGGAGAGTTTGAATAA 199 GATTTGCTCTGGAGTTTAC 200 GGCAGAAAATTCTTGATTT 201 GGACAGGGGTAGGAACTTC 202 APO 11 GCATTTTCGTTATTCATTG 203 CTGAAAAGTAAGTAATCTG 204 GGCGACAGAAAAGTCAATG 205 CCACTCTGTCTCCAGGTCC 206 CCACCACAGGCAAAGCAAG 207 TTCGGTTCCCAATTGCTCA 208 TTCTGACATAGCATTATCC 209 TGGGAAAATGTCTCAGGTG 210 TATAAATGGGCATTTGGGA 211 TGTCTTGAAGCTGATTTTC 212 GAAACTGTGTATCTTGAAG 213 TGTCTGCATGCTCAGATTA 214 GAATGTTTTAAAGCGGGCT 215 CACTAGAGGGCCAGTTAAA 216 CCGCACTTGCAAGCTGCTC 217 CATCATCACTGTTACCCAC 218 CCACCATCACAGCAAAAGC 219 TCCAGATTCCCAACACCTG 220 CCCATGGATCATCTCCAGA 221 AACCACTTGGCATGTTGAA 222 APO 12 CAAGTACTCACACCTTGGA 223 APO 13 CCTGTCCTTTAATTCTTAT 224 TGAACTTGACGGATGAACT 225 TAGATGAGGGTAACTGGCT 226 TGGATAGCAGCTGTTCAAG 227 CATTTTCATCTCCTGGGCT 228 TGGATAATTGATGACTCTG 229 GTCTTCTCCAGGTTCAAAA 230 TATTCATCATGATTGCATC 231 CATTTCCACGGCAGCATTA 232 CCAGGCTTCTACTAAAGCC 233 GCTAGGATTTTTCTCTGAA 234 TCTATAATTCTCTCCAGTT 235 ACACAAGATCATTGACTAG 236 TCTGCATTGAGTAAGTCTA 237 CTCTTCCCTTATTTCATCT 238 TCCTCAGTTGCTCTTTCTC 239 GCCATTCTATTCTTCCGGA 240 AGTCAAATGTTGAAAAAGT 241 CCAGGATTGGAATTACACA 242 ATTCCGGCAGTTAGTAGAC 243 TAACATCATGTTCTTGTTC 244 GTCTGTGTCTTCTGTTTAA 245 TTCTCTTGCTTGTAAAGAC 246 CTAAAATCGTATCAATCAG 247 APO 14 GGCTGCAATATTTCCTTTT 248 GAGAGTTTCTGAATACAGT 249 ACAGCTTCAGCTTCTTGCA 250 AAATAAATGCTCATATAAC 251 GAAACATCTTCTGTGGGAA 252 GTTCTTCCACTGGTAGATC 253 CTTCTTGTAGTCTCCGCAA 254 TTGTCCATACACACTTTAC 255 AACCAAATTAGGATAAAAG 256 ATGTTCATATGGTTTAGAT 257 TAAGTTTTACTTCACTTAC 258 ATGTTCCCGGTATTAGTAC 259 APO 15 GGGCTCAAGTAATTCTCTT 260 GCCCAGGATGGATTCAAAC

[0121] Nucleobase Oligomer Selection Criteria

[0122] The computer program OLIGO (previously distributed by National Biosciences Inc.) was used to select candidate nucleobase oligomers based on the following criteria:

[0123] 1) no more than 75% GC content, and no more than 75% AT content;

[0124] 2) preferably no nucleobase oligomers with four or more consecutive G residues (due to reported toxic effects, although one was chosen as a toxicity control);

[0125] 3) no nucleobase oligomers with the ability to form stable dimers or hairpin structures; and

[0126] 4) sequences around the translation start site are a preferred region.

[0127] In addition, accessible regions of the target mRNA were predicted with the help of the RNA secondary structure folding program MFOLD (M. Zuker, D. H. Mathews & D. H. Turner, Algorithms and Thermodynamics for RNA Secondary Structure Prediction: A Practical Guide. In: RNA Biochemistry and Biotechnology, J. Barciszewski & B. F. C. Clark, eds., NATO ASI Series, Kluwer Academic Publishers, (1999). Sub-optimal folds with a free energy value within 5% of the predicted most stable fold of the mRNA were predicted using a window of 200 bases within which a residue can find a complimentary base to form a base pair bond. Open regions that did not form a base pair were summed together with each suboptimal fold and areas that consistently were predicted as open were considered more accessible to the binding to nucleobase oligomers. Additional nucleobase oligomer that only partially fulfilled some of the above selection criteria were also chosen as possible candidates if they recognized a predicted open region of the target mRNA.

EXAMPLE 2 Oligonucleotide Synthesis

[0128] The ability of nucleobase oligomers to inhibit IAP expression was tested using oligonucleotides as exemplary nucleobase oligomers. The oligonucleotides were synthesized by IDT (Integrated DNA Technologies, USA) as chimeric, second-generation oligonucleotides, consisting of a core of phosphodiester DNA residues flanked on either side by two 2′-O-methyl RNA residues with a phosphorothioate linkage between the flanking RNA residues. The oligonucleotides were provided in a 96-well plate, as well as matching tubes, with a minimum of 12 ODs of nucleobase oligomer, which provided ample material for transfections (greater than a hundred assays in the 96-well format) when the detection method is a sensitive method, such as TaqMan quantitative PCR, or an ELISA. Once the positive hits were identified (see below), oligonucleotides were re-synthesized with three, instead of two, flanking RNA residues to further increase stability/nuclease resistance. In addition, for validation purposes, appropriate controls (such as scrambled, 4-base mismatch, and reverse polarity oligonucleotides) were synthesized for some of the targets that yielded the highest activity.

EXAMPLE 3 Screening Assays and Optimization of Nucleobase Oligomers

[0129] Our approach to identifying nucleobase oligomers capable of inhibiting expression of an IAP was to screen the above-described oligonucleotide libraries for specific decreases (knock-down) of the RNA and/or protein for the specific IAP gene targeted. Any number of standard assays may be used to detect RNA and protein levels in cells. For example, RNA levels can be measured using standard northern blot analysis or RT-PCR techniques. Protein levels can be measured, for example, by standard western blot analyses or immunoprecipitation techniques. Alternatively, cells administered an antisense IAP nucleic acid may be examined for cell viability, according to methods described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,919,912, 6,156,535, and 6,133,437, incorporated herein by reference.

[0130] We used TaqMan quantitative PCR (described below) to assay for changes in mRNA levels after oligonucleotide treatment. We employed ELISA for determining XIAP protein levels and western blotting for determining HIAP1 protein levels. Transfection conditions were optimized with Lipofectamine plus or Lipofectamine 2000 (Life Technologies, Canada) on T24 bladder carcinoma cells or H460 non-small cell lung carcinoma cells, or lipofectin on SF-295 glioblastoma cells, using a fluorescein-tagged sense oligonucleotide (5′-mGmAGAAGATGACTGGTAAmCmA-3′; SEQ ID NO: 261) from XIAP spanning the start codon as a control. The results were visualized and gauged by epi-fluorescence microscopy. In the case of T24 cells, transfections were further optimized based on the ability of a published oligonucleotide to downregulate survivin expression (Li et al., Nat. Cell Biol. 1:461-466, 1999) (5′-U/TGTGCTATTCTGTGAA U/TU/T-3′ SEQ ID NO: 262). We optimized the transfection conditions based on the TaqMan results of survivin RNA knock-down detected with PCR primers and fluorescent probe, described in detail below. Optimal conditions for oligonucleotide uptake by the cells were found to be 940 nM oligonucleotide and 4 μL PLUS reagent and 0.8 μL Lipofectamine in a total of 70 μL for three hours. We then applied these conditions to screen for XIAP protein knock-down using the oligo library against T24 cells.

[0131] HIAP1 knock-down was studied in SF-295 cells because these cells had easily detectable and discernable 70 kDa HIAP1 protein, while many cell lines do not express high levels of the protein, or are not distinguishable from the large amounts of the similarly sized 68 kDa HIAP2 protein.

[0132] Real-Time PCR

[0133] RNA was extracted from cells lysed in RLT buffer (QIAGEN, Valencia, Calif.), and purified using QIAGEN RNeasy columns/kits. Real-time quantitative PCR was performed on a Perkin-Elmer ABI 7700 Prism PCR machine. RNA was reverse transcribed and amplified according to the TaqMan Universal PCR Master Mix protocol of PE Biosystems, using primers and probes designed to specifically recognize XIAP, HIAP1, survivin, or GAPDH. For human survivin, the forward primer was 5′-TCTGCT TCAAGGAGCTGGAA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 263), the reverse primer was 5′-GAAAGGAA AGCGCAACCG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 264), and the probe was 5′-(FAM)AGCCAGATGAC GACCCCATAGAGGAACATA(TAMRA)-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 265). For human HIAP1, the forward primer was 5′-TGGAGATGATCCATGGGTTCA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 266), the reverse primer was 5′-GAACTCCTGTCCTTTAATTCTTATCAAGT-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 267), and the probe was 5′-(FAM)CTCACACCTTGGAAACCACTTGGCATG (TAMRA)-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 268). For human XIAP, the forward primer was 5′-GGTGA TAAAGTAAAGTGCTTTCACTGT-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 269), the reverse primer was 5′-TCAGTAGTTCTTACCAGACACTCCTCAA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 270), and the probe was 5′-(FAM)CAACATGCTAAATGGTATCCAGGGTGCAAATATC(TAMRA)-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 271). For human GAPDH, the forward primer was 5′-GAAGGTGAAGG TCGGAGTC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 272), the reverse primer was 5′-GAAGATGGTGATGG GATTC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 273), and the probe was 5′-(JOE)CAAGCTTCCCGTTCTCA GCC(TAMRA)-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 274). FAM is 6-carboxyfluoroscein, JOE is 6-carboxy-4,5-dichloro-2,7-dimethoxyfluoroscein, and TAMRA is 6-carboxy-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylrhodamine. FAM and JOE are 5′ reporter dyes, while TAMRA is a 3′ quencher dye.

[0134] Relative quantification of gene expression was performed as described in the PE Biosystems manual using GAPDH as an internal standard. The comparative Ct (cycle threshold) method was used for relative quantitation of IAP mRNA levels compared to GAPDH mRNA levels. Briefly, real-time fluorescence measurements were taken at each PCR cycle and the threshold cycle (Ct) value for each sample was calculated by determining the point at which fluorescence exceeded a threshold limit of 30 times the baseline standard deviation. The average baseline value and the baseline SD are calculated starting from the third cycle baseline value and stopping at the baseline value three cycles before the signal starts to exponentially rise. The PCR primers and/or probes for the specific IAPs were designed to span at least one exon-intron boundary separated by 1 kb or more of genomic DNA, to reduce the possibility of amplifying and detecting genomic DNA contamination. The specificity of the signal, and possible contamination from DNA, were verified by treating some RNA samples with either DNase or RNase, prior to performing the reverse transcription and PCR reaction steps.

[0135] XIAP ELISA and HIAP1 Western Immunoblots

[0136] A standard colorimetric XIAP ELISA assay was performed using an affinity-purified rabbit polyclonal antibody to XIAP as a capture antibody, and was detected with a XIAP monoclonal antibody (MBL, Japan) and a biotinylated anti-mouse Ig antibody and horseradish peroxidase-conjugated streptavidin and TMB substrate. Alternatively, a polyclonal XIAP or HIAP1 antibody may be used to measure XIAP or HIAP1 protein levels, respectively.

[0137] HIAP1 was detected on a western immunoblot using an affinity-purified anti-rat HIAP1 rabbit polyclonal antibody as a primary antibody and was detected by ECL (Amersham) on X-ray film with a secondary horseradish-peroxidase-conjugated anti-rabbit Ig antibody and a chemiluminescent substrate. The anti-HIAP1 polyclonal antibody is raised against a GST-fusion of the rat HIAP1. This antibody cross-reacts with both human and murine HIAP1 and HIAP2.

EXAMPLE 4 Antisense XIAP Oligonucleotides Decrease XIAP RNA and Polypeptide Expression

[0138] The XIAP synthetic library of 96 antisense oligonucleotides was first screened for decreases in XIAP protein levels. Specifically, T24 cells (1.5×10⁴ cells/well) were seeded in wells of a 96-well plate on day 1, and were cultured in antibiotic-free McCoy's medium for 24 hours. On day 2, the cells were transfected with XIAP antisense oligonucleotides as described above (oligonucleotides are labeled according to their plated position, i.e., A1 to H12, and include two repeats, A13 and B13 that contain lyophilized DNA pellets that stuck to the sealing membrane). Briefly, the nucleobase oligomers were diluted in 10 μl/well of serum-free, antibiotic-free McCoy's medium and then PLUS reagent was added. Lipofectamine was diluted in 10 μl/well of serum-free, antibiotic-free McCoy's medium, and both mixes were incubated for 15 minutes at room temperature. The mixes were then combined and incubated for 15 minutes at room temperature.

[0139] In the meantime, the complete medium was removed from the cells and 50 μl/well of serum-free, antibiotic-free medium was added to the cells. The transfection mixes were added to the well, and the cells were incubated for three hours. Then 30 μl/well of serum-free, antibiotic-free medium and 100 μl/well of antibiotic-free complete medium, containing 20% fetal bovine serum were added to each well.

[0140] At day 3, XIAP RNA levels were measured using quantitative real-time PCR techniques, as described above. At day 4, XIAP protein levels were measured by ELISA (FIGS. 1A, 1C, 1E, 1G, 1I, and 1K), and total cellular protein was measured biochemically (FIGS. 1B, 1D, 1F, 1H, 1J, and 1L; used to normalize the XIAP protein levels). The results were compared to a mock transfection sample (treated with the transfection agent but no oligonucleotide DNA was added, and then processed as for the other samples). Time course experiments determined that the optimal time for protein knock-down to be around 12 to 24 hours.

[0141] The oligonucleotide library was also screened for decreases in RNA levels, using TaqMan-specific PCR primers and fluorescent probes at the appropriate optimal time, using the primers and probes described above. Time course experiments determined mRNA to be optimally decreased at 6 to 9 hours. These results agree well with the protein results.

[0142] The first screen (although performed at a sub-optimal time point when XIAP levels are returning to normal, possibly due to an outgrowth of non-transfected cells) identified 16 antisense oligonucleotides (Table 1: C2, E2, E3, F3, C4, D4, E4, F4, G4, C5, D5, B6, F6, D7, D8, F8) out of the 96 nucleobase oligomers tested that showed some decrease in XIAP protein levels relative to total protein, compared to mock (no nucleobase oligomer) transfection levels (FIGS. 1A, 1C, 1E, 1G, 1I, and 1K). Total protein was decreased for each of these 16 nucleobase oligomers, which indicates a toxic or cytostatic effect of these nucleobase oligomers (FIGS. 1B, 1D, 1F, 1H, 1J, 1L). Nucleobase oligomers B9 and C9 showed a clear drop in total protein but no relative drop in XIAP protein levels.

[0143] The 16 antisense nucleobase oligomers that showed some decrease in relative XIAP protein levels compared to mock transfection, were re-tested alone or in combination, with one control nucleobase oligomer (D2) included, for their ability to knock-down XIAP protein at a more optimal time point (12 hours) based on the above described time course studies (FIG. 2B). These nucleobase oligomers were also examined for their ability to decrease XIAP mRNA levels at 12 hours, normalized against GAPDH levels, and compared to mock transfection. Total protein concentrations at 12 hours were also determined (FIG. 2C).

[0144] There was a good correlation between the ability of a nucleobase oligomer to decrease XIAP protein levels (FIG. 2B) with its ability to decrease XIAP mRNA levels (FIG. 2A). In addition, there is no major loss of total protein at this early time point, and the decrease in XIAP mRNA and protein precede the decrease in total protein that is seen at later time points. The nucleobase oligomers that showed greater than 50% loss of XIAP protein or mRNA levels alone, or in a combination of two nucleobase oligomers added at a 1:1 ratio, were identified as the best nucleobase oligomers and validated further. Of these 16 oligonucleotides, ten (E2, E3, F3, E4, F4, G4, C5, B6, D7, F8) showed a consistent ability to decrease XIAP protein or RNA levels by more than 50%, depending on the transfection conditions used, or when used in combination (as for C5 and G4). Moreover, these 16 oligonucleotides that demonstrated antisense activity clustered in four different target regions of the XIAP mRNA, with adjacent nucleobase oligomers showing some knock-down activity. Little or no antisense activity was observed with nucleobase oligomers that target sequences between these regions or islands of sensitivity. Presumably, these regions represent open areas on the mRNA that are accessible to nucleobase oligomers inside the cell. Two nucleobase oligomers, E3 and F3, target XIAP just upstream of the start codon in the intervening region between the IRES and the translation start site, and partially overlap the end of the IRES element. C2, D2, and E2 target a XIAP region upstream of the minimal IRES element, providing further evidence that the minimal IRES region is a highly structured region of RNA that is not readily accessible to nucleobase oligomers in vivo. All the other nucleobase oligomers are complimentary to a portion of the coding region, including a cluster of activity at positions 856-916 of the XIAP sequence (E4, F4, and G4) and smaller separate areas, as demonstrated by nucleobase oligomers C5 and D5, for example.

[0145] A portion of the 96 nucleobase oligomers depicted in Table 1 were rescreened for their ability to knock-down XIAP mRNA in NC1-H460 cells at 9 hours post-transfection. The data are summarized in Table 4, below. TABLE 4 2 × 2 MBO XIAP RNA Std. Dev. Untrf. Co. 1.04 0.055 Mock Co. 1.01 0.006 G4 sm 0.97 0.071 DE4 rev 1.06 0.121 A1 as 0.46 0.01 B1 as 0.34 0.03 C1 as 0.3 0.04 D1 as 0.25 0.03 E1 as 0.31 0.01 F1 as 0.19 0.01 G1 as 0.67 0.03 H1 as 0.87 0.03 A2 as 0.42 0.02 B2 as 0.45 0.03 C2 as 0.33 0.02 D2 as 0.66 0.01 E2 as 0.44 0.01 F2 as 0.64 0.02 G2 as 0.44 0.01 H2 as 0.56 0.04 A3 as 0.71 0.03 B3 as 0.64 0.08 C3 as 0.55 0.04 D3 as 0.68 0.02 E3 as 0.48 0.02 B4 as 0.23 0.01 C4 as 0.22 0.04 D4 as 0.48 0.04 E4 as 0.44 0.01 G4 as 0.48 0.02 B5 as 0.38 0.03 E5 as 0.52 0.05 G5 as 0.68 0.05 H5 as 0.59 0.09 A6 as 0.27 0 D6 as 0.39 0.03 G6 as 0.3 0.01 H6 as 0.31 0.01 C7 as 0.27 0.02 D7 as 0.52 0.04 F7 as 0.3 0.04 G7 as 0.66 0.04 H7 as 0.49 0.01 C8 as 1.01 0.08 D8 as 0.55 0.04 F8 as 0.62 0 G8 as 0.64 0.06 H8 as 0.61 0.06 A9 as 0.46 0.02 B9 as 0.74 0.07 D9 as 0.73 0.04 E9 as 0.69 0.06 F9 as 0.97 0.15 A10 as 0.85 0.04 C10 as 0.56 0.01 D10 as 0.54 0.01 F10 as 0.64 0 G10 as 0.49 0 A11 as 0.36 0.03 B11 as 0.39 0.02 C11 as 0.44 0.03 E11 as 0.52 0.04 F11 as 0.36 0.05 G11 as 0.67 0.02 A12 as 0.54 0.03 D12 as 0.23 0.05 E12 as 0.26 0.01 F12 as 0.26 0.03 G12 as 0.24 0.05 H12 as 0.48 0.06

[0146] We also determined whether 4×4 MBOs (all PS, DNA residues flanked on both sides by four 2′-O-methyl RNA residues) were capable of knocking-down XIAP protein in H460 cells. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, 4×4 MBs of E12 and another oligonucleotide, FG8, were effective in amounts as low as 31 nM.

EXAMPLE 5 XIAP Antisense Nucleobase Oligomers Increase Cytotoxicity and Chemosensitization

[0147] We investigated if XIAP antisense nucleobase oligomers could chemosensitize the highly drug resistant T24 cells to traditional chemotherapeutic agents, such as adriamycin or cisplatin. Antisense oligonucleotides were chosen to represent some of the different XIAP target regions and tested for their cytotoxic effects, alone or in combination with other oligonucleotides or drugs. Five XIAP antisense oligonucleotides were tested for their ability to kill or chemosensitize T24 bladder carcinoma cells, and were compared to the effects of three corresponding scrambled control oligonucleotides.

[0148] T24 cells were transfected with XIAP antisense oligonucleotides, scrambled oligonucleotides, no oligonucleotides (mock transfected), or were left untreated. The cells were tested for viability 20 hours after transfection (with the exception of the untreated control) using the WST-1 tetrazolium dye assay in which WST-1 tetrazolium dye is reduced to a colored formazan product in metabolically active cells (FIG. 5A).

[0149] The occurrence of cytoxicity induced by oligonucleotide E4 was examined by visually inspecting T24 cells that were left untreated, mock transfected, or transfected with E4, E4 scrambled, E4 reverse polarity, or E4 mismatched oligonucleotides. Twenty hours after transfection, the cells were examined for morphology (FIG. 5D). Only the cell transfected with antisense E4 oligonucleotides showed signs of toxicity.

[0150] To examine the effects of the nucleobase oligomers on the chemosensitization of the T24 cells to cisplatin or adriamycin, oligonucleotides were tested for their ability to further kill T24 cells in the presence of a fixed dose of adriamycin (0.5 μg/ml). Cells were first transfected with a oligonucleotide, then adriamycin was added for another 20 hours. Viability was measured by WST-1 at the end of the 20-hour drug treatment (FIG. 5B). Results are shown in FIG. 5C as percentage viability compared to nucleobase oligomer treatment alone.

[0151] All five nucleobase oligomers tested (F3, E4, G4, C5, D7) as well as combinations of E4+C5 and G4+C5, killed the T24 cells, leaving only 10-15% surviving cells after 24 hours, as compared to the mock (no oligonucleotide) transfected cells, or to cells transfected with three corresponding scrambled controls to F3 (5′-mCmAmGAGATTT CATTTAAmCmGmU-3′; SEQ ID NO: 275), E4 (5′-mCmUmACGCTCGCCATCG™ UmCmA-3′; SEQ ID NO: 276) and C5 (5′-mUmGmCCCAAGAATACTAGmUmC mA-3′; SEQ ID NO: 277)(FIGS. 5A and 5C). Therefore, the toxicity is sequence-specific to those nucleobase oligomers that reduce XIAP levels, and not to a non-sequence specific toxicity due to nucleobase oligomers this chemistry in general. This cytotoxicity may result from the combined effect of XIAP protein knock-down (and the expected loss of anti-apoptotic protection afforded by XIAP) and the cytotoxicity of the transfection itself.

[0152] The addition of a fixed dose of adriamycin or cisplatin at the end of the three hour transfection period resulted in a further decrease in survival for some of the tested oligonucleotides, a further 40% drop in survival after 20 hours for nucleobase oligomers F3, D7 and G4+C5 combination (FIG. 5B), compared to their corresponding oligonucleotide-treated values (FIG. 5C). The values in FIG. 5B (oligonucleotide plus drug) are compared to the values of oligonucleotide alone in FIG. 5C, which is set a 100% for each ODN. Only the results for adriamycin chemosensitization are shown; similar results were obtained when the cells were chemosensitized with cisplatin. At the fixed doses used, the mock and scrambled control transfections did not show any increased loss of survival when either treated with adriamycin (FIG. 5B). Chemosensitization is only seen when XIAP levels are decreased by a specific antisense oligonucleotide.

EXAMPLE 6 Down-Regulating Effects of Antisense Oligonucleotides on XIAP mRNA in H460 Cells

[0153] By using real-time PCR, antisense oligonucleotides (2×2 MBO, composed of two flanking 2′-O-methyl RNA residues at either end with phosphorothioate linkages, and a central core of 15 phosphodiester DNA residues) were examined for their effects on XIAP mRNA in H460 cells. In this configuration, nucleobase oligomers F3, G4, C5, AB6 and DE4 reduced the mRNA level by 50-70%, compared to untreated control, while D7 AS nucleobase oligomers reduced the mRNA level by 30% (FIG. 6). In contrast, control nucleobase oligomers and transfectant agent alone (LFA) each only reduced the mRNA level to less than 20% of untreated control (FIG. 6). Nucleobase oligomers F3, G4 and C5 were selected for further study in vitro and in vivo. Additional knockdown of XIAP mRNA observed by TaqMan analysis is depicted in FIGS. 7 and 8.

EXAMPLE 7 Down-Regulating Effects of Antisense Oligonucleotides on XIAP Protein

[0154] We characterized the potency of nucleobase oligomers F3, G4 and C5 in oligonucleotide configuration on the XIAP protein expression by western blot analysis (FIGS. 9, 10A, and 10B). G4 AS oligonucleotides exhibited the strongest down-regulating effect on XIAP protein, reducing XIAP protein levels by 62% at 24 h after the end of transfection at a concentration of 1.2 μM (FIGS. 10A and 10B). F3 AS oligonucleotides at 1.2 μM reduced XIAP protein level by 50%, while C5 AS oligonucleotides did not show sequence specific effects compared to its control (FIG. 10B). In additional studies, E12 and FG8 AS oligonucleotides significantly reduced XIAP protein levels (FIG. 9).

EXAMPLE 8 Induction of Apoptosis by XIAP AS Oligonucleotides

[0155] Having demonstrated that XIAP AS nucleobase oligomers were capable of reducing viability of H460 cells and T24 bladder carcinoma cells after, we determined whether the observed cell death was due to the induction of apoptosis. As shown in FIG. 11A, H460 cells treated with F3 or G4 AS oligonucleotides at 1.2 μM activated and degraded pro-caspase-3 protein with a reduction of 40% or 60% of protein levels, respectively, compared to untreated control cells. PARP was also to its predicted caspase-3-generated fragment (FIG. 11A). In contrast, F3 and G4 SC oligonucleotide controls at 1.2 μM did not have any effect on caspase-3 or PARP protein expression (FIG. 11A). The ratio of Bcl-2:Bax was unchanged in H460 cells treated with F3 and G4 AS oligonucleotides and their respective controls at 1.2 μM. Flow cytometry was used to detect the hypo-diploid DNA content in H460 cells treated with G4 AS oligonucleotides and stained with PI (FIG. 12A). When H460 cells were treated with G4 AS oligonucleotides or scrambled control oligonucleotides at 1.2 μM, the hypo-diploid DNA content of cells was 40.8 and 22.1%, respectively, compared to 16.6% for untreated control cells. DAPI staining was used to detect the nuclear morphological changes of the H460 cells treated with G4 AS oligonucleotides or scrambled control oligonucleotides at 1.2 μM. As shown in FIG. 12B, cells treated with G4 AS oligonucleotides underwent morphological changes characteristic of apoptosis, including chromatin condensation and nuclear DNA fragmentation. Few cells showed these morphological changes in G4 SC-treated control cells.

EXAMPLE 9 Inhibition of Cell Growth and Sensitization of H460 Cells to Anticancer Agents by AS Oligonucleotides

[0156] To analyze biological effects of nucleobase oligomers associated with down-regulation of XIAP expression and apoptosis, the growth of H460 cells treated with G4 AS oligonucleotides was investigated by MTT assay. Forty-eight hours after the transfection, G4 AS oligonucleotides had reduced H460 cell growth in a dose-dependent manner, exhibiting a 55% reduction relative to untreated control levels at 1.2 μM (FIG. 13A). In contrast, the growth-inhibitory effect of G4 SC oligonucleotides, or transfectant agent alone, was comparatively low, only less than 10% of their untreated control.

[0157] To investigate whether down-regulation of XIAP expression has the potential to sensitize H460 cells to chemotherapy, combination treatments using G4 AS oligonucleotides and one of the following anticancer drugs: doxorubicin (DOX), taxol, vinorelbine (VNB) and etoposide (Etop) were performed. FIG. 13B demonstrates that each of the combinations resulted in at least an additive cytotoxic effect on the cell death, compared to treatment with either G4 AS oligonucleotides or the anticancer drugs alone.

EXAMPLE 10 Antitumor Efficacy of G4 AS Oligonucleotides on H460 and LCC6 Tumor Xenografts

[0158] We first determined whether intra-tumoral injection of XIAP antisense 2×2-MBOs into SCID-RAG2 mice carrying sub-cutaneous H460 human lung carcinoma xenografts reduced the amount of tumor growth. Treatment started 14 days after tumor cell inoculation (s.c. shoulder injection of 106 cells) by injecting MBOs (50 μg 2′-O-methyl RNA oligonucleotides per g tumor) into the palpable tumor mass three times per week for two weeks. Vinorelbine (VNB; also referred to as navelbine (NVB) (15 mg/kg i.p.) was injected on days 17 and 24. Tumor size was measured with calipers three times per week. At the end of the treatment period (day 24), the mean relative tumor growth of mice treated with a combination of C5+G4 AS MBOs and VNB was ˜70% reduced compared to those treated with scrambled control MBOs and VNB. Treatments with C5 AS MBO and VNB resulted in a ˜60% reduction of tumor size, compared to scrambled control (FIG. 14).

[0159] Initial systemic PS-oligonucleotide studies were designed without any chemotherapeutic agents. SCID-RAG2 mice were inoculated with H460 human lung carcinoma cells (s.c. shoulder injection of 10⁶ cells) and treatments with G4 and F3 AS PS-oligonucleotides, as well as a scrambled control, were initiated three days after tumor inoculation. Nucleobase oligomer injections were administered i.p. at 12.5 mg/kg three times a week for three weeks. At the end of the treatment period, mean tumor sizes in the groups treated with either G4 or F3 AS oligonucleotides were ˜50% smaller than in the group treated with a scrambled control oligonucleotides (FIG. 15). The same treatment protocol was tested on female SCID-RAG2 mice inoculated orthotopically with MDA-MB-435/LCC6 human breast carcinoma cells. Two weeks after the last treatment (day 35) tumor volumes of mice treated with F3, C5 or G4 AS oligonucleotides were 70%, 60%, and 45%, respectively, smaller than vehicle controls (FIG. 16).

[0160] We conducted additional examination of the antitumor effects of G4 AS oligonucleotides in SCID-RAG2 mice bearing xenografts of H460 human non-small-cell lung tumors implanted subcutaneously. Saline-treated control tumors grew reproducibly to a size of 0.75 cm³ within approximately 24 days (FIG. 17). Oligonucleotide treatments were initiated three days after tumor cell inoculation. G4 AS oligonucleotides (5 to 15 mg/kg) were administered using a treatment schedule of i.p. injections given once a day on days 3-7, 10-14, and 17-21. The treatment with 5 or 15 mg/kg G4 AS oligonucleotides greatly delayed tumor growth: on day 24 mean tumor sizes were 0.75, 0.45 and 0.29 cm³ in control, 5 and 15 mg/kg treated groups, respectively (FIG. 18A). There was a dose-dependent inhibition of tumor growth. Tumor size in mice treated with 15 mg/kg G4 AS oligonucleotides was significantly smaller than in control groups, and represented 39% of control mean tumor size. In contrast, administration of G4 SC oligonucleotides at 15 mg/kg provided no therapeutic activity (FIG. 17). None of the mice treated with oligonucleotides displayed any signs of toxicities, and both doses of oligonucleotides were well tolerated. A dose of 15 mg/kg was selected for the future combination treatment regimens with anticancer drugs.

EXAMPLE 11 XIAP Expression is Reduced in H460 Tumors Treated with G4 AS Oligonucleotides

[0161] To correlate the tumor growth inhibitory effects of G4 AS oligonucleotides with XIAP protein expression, we examined the changes in XIAP expression at the end of the in vivo treatment with 15 mg/kg of G4 AS and SC oligonucleotides. At day 21 or 24 post-tumor inoculation when tumors reached 1 cm in size (FIG. 17), tumors were harvested and lysates from tumor homogenates were used for western blot analysis. XIAP and β-actin antibodies against the human protein were used, allowing for determination of human XIAP levels obtained from tumor cells specimens without contamination from XIAP derived from mouse cells. XIAP protein levels in tumors treated with G4 AS oligonucleotides were significantly reduced to approximately 85% of control tumors (P<0.005) (FIGS. 18A and 18B). Tumors treated with G4 SC oligonucleotides were reduced in size by 24% of control tumors. These results indicated that inhibition of H460 tumor growth by G4 AS oligonucleotides correlated with the down-regulation of XIAP protein expression.

EXAMPLE 12 Histopathology of Tumor Specimens

[0162] To evaluate whether XIAP AS oligonucleotide administration results in direct tumor cell kill, we examined the histology of tumors after treatment both for morphology and ubiquitin immunostaining (FIGS. 19A and 19B). At day 21 or 24 post-tumor inoculation, tumors treated with 15 mg/kg of G4 AS oligonucleotides, SC oligonucleotides, or saline control were excised, sectioned, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The results demonstrate that tumors in animals administered given XIAP AS oligonucleotides treatment contained an increased number of dead cells, identified morphologically by their amorphous shape and condensed nuclear material (FIG. 19A).

[0163] The degradation of proteins is largely ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent; increased ubiquitin expression has been observed during apoptosis. Thus, we examined the ubiquitin expression in the tumors sections used for hematoxylin and eosin staining. As shown in FIG. 19B, tumors in mice administered XIAP AS oligonucleotides displayed more intense immunohistochemical staining, relative to tumors in control or SC ODN-treated mice. These data indicate that there is more free ubiquitin and/or ubiquitinated-protein in XIAP AS nucleobase oligonucleotide-treated tumor cells than in control tumors.

EXAMPLE 13 Combined Treatment of G4 AS Oligonucleotides with Vinorelbine

[0164] To evaluate whether combined treatments of G4 AS nucleobase oligomers and vinorelbine (VNB), a chemotherapeutic agent used for lung cancer treatment, may result in any cooperative effects, we compared the therapeutic efficacy of VNB in the presence and absence of G4 AS oligonucleotides or G4 SC oligonucleotides. Treatment regimens were initiated on day 3 after tumor inoculation. FIG. 20A shows the in vivo efficacy results for 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg doses of VNB given to H460 tumor-bearing mice and compared with saline controls. Each of the two regimens induced significant tumor growth suppression in a dose-dependent manner without showing significant signs of undesirable toxicity (i.e., body weight loss). When administration of G4 AS oligonucleotides (15 mg/kg) was combined with VNB (5 mg/kg) for the treatment of H460 tumors, even more pronounced delay of H460 tumor growth was observed compared to either treatment administrated alone (FIG. 20B). Again, the mice did not show any significant signs of toxicity (i.e., body weight loss). The mean tumor sizes in mice treated with 5 mg/kg VNB in the presence or absence of G4 AS or SC oligonucleotides were compared on day 29 (FIGS. 20A and 20B). The average tumor size 3 in the group of VNB and G4 AS oligonucleotides was 0.22±0.03 cm³, which was significantly smaller than the average tumor size in animals treated with 5 mg/kg VNB alone or with a combination of VNB G4 SC oligonucleotides (0.59±0.04 and 0.48±0.05 cm³, respectively).

[0165] Methods

[0166] The results obtained in Examples 5-13 were obtained using the following methods.

[0167] Oligonucleotide Synthesis

[0168] A library of over 96 non-overlapping chimeric, or mixed-backbone (MBO), 19-mer antisense oligonucleotides was synthesized as 2×2 MBO oligonucleotides, composed of two flanking 2′-O-methyl RNA residues at either end with phosphorothioate linkages, and a central core of 15 phosphodiester DNA residues. Each final product was desalted by Sephadex G-25 chromatography (IDT Inc., Coralville, Iowa). This chimeric wingmer configuration, and mix of phosphorothioate and phosphodiester linkages (referred to as 2×2 PS/PO), provided adequate stability while also reducing non-specific toxicity associated with phosphorothioate residues. Fully phosphorothioated non-chimeric (DNA) antisense oligonucleotides for in vivo and in vitro studies were synthesized by Trilink Biotech and purified by RP-HPLC.

[0169] Antisense Oligonucleotide Screening

[0170] T24 bladder carcinoma cells, transfected with 1-1.2 μM oligonucleotide-lipofectin complexes for 24-48 hours, were assessed to determine the ability of each oligonucleotide to knock-down XIAP protein. Positive hits were reconfirmed for their ability to knock-down (i) XIAP protein levels at 12-18 hours of transfection by western analysis, and (ii) XIAP mRNA levels at 6-9 hours of transfection by quantitative RT-PCR (see below) in T24 bladder carcinoma cells and H460 lung carcinoma cells. Candidate oligonucleotides were identified and tested further. Identified 2×2 PS/PO chimeric oligonucleotides showed a dose-dependent ability to decrease XIAP mRNA levels at 6-9 hours in the range of 400-1200 nM concentrations. Exemplary oligonucleotides are shown in Table 5. TABLE 5 Oligo- SEQ nucleotide Sequence* ID NO: F3 AS ATCTTCTCTTGAAAATAGG (PS) 278 F3 AS AU CTTCTCTTGAAAATA GG (2 × 2 PS/PO) 279 F3 RP GGATAAAAGTTCTCTTCTA (PS) 280 G4 AS GCTGAGTCTCCATATTGCC (PS) 281 G4 AS GC TGAGTCTCCATATTG+E,ns CC (2 × 2 PS/PO) 282 G4 SC GGCTCTTTGCCCACTGAAT (PS) 283 C5 AS ACCATTCTGGATACCAGAA (PS) 284 C5 AS AC CATTCTGGATACCAG AA (2 × 2 PS/PO) 285 C5 RP AAGACCATAGGTCTTACCA (PS) 286 AB6 AS GGGTTCCTCGGGTATATGG (PS) 287 AB6 RP GGTATATGGCGTCCTTCGG (PS) 288 DE4 AS GGTATCTCCTTCACCAGTA (PS) 289 DE4 RP ATCACCACTTCCTCTATGG (PS) 290 D7 AS GATTCACTTCGAATATTAA (PS) 291 D7 RP AATTATAACGTTCACTTAG (PS) 292

[0171] Tumor Cell Line and Animal Xenografts Model

[0172] The human non-small cell lung cancer cell line (large cell type) NC1-H460 (H460) was obtained from ATCC and maintained in RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% FCS at 37° C. in a humidified atmosphere containing 5% CO₂. Cells were used in exponential growth phase, up to a maximum of 25 in vitro passages. Male SCID-RAG2 mice (7-9 weeks old, 23-26 g) were obtained from British Columbia Cancer Agency Joint Animal Facility breeding colony and kept in aseptic environments. A tumor model of NC1-H460 cells in SCID-RAG2 mice was established by subcutaneous implantation of 1×06 NCI-H460 cells on the back of mice.

[0173] Treatment of Cells with Antisense and Anticancer Drugs

[0174] One day prior to transfection, H460 cells were plated in 6- or 96-well tissue culture plates. Phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotides were delivered into cells with Lipofectamine 2000 (Life Technologies) in the form of liposome-oligonucleotide complexes. Following a 4.5 or 6 h transfection, the transfection medium was replaced with RPMI medium containing 10% FBS, and the cells incubated for another 24 or 48 h.

[0175] Real-Time Quantitative RT-PCR

[0176] Total RNA from H460 cells treated with liposome-oligonucleotide complexes for 6 hours was immediately isolated using RNeasy mini spin columns and DNase treatment (QIAGEN, Valencia, Calif.). Specific XIAP mRNA was measured using a real-time quantitative RT-PCR method. XIAP forward and reverse primers (600 nM) and probe (200 nM) (5′-GGTGATAAAGTAAAGTGCTTTCACTGT-3′ (SEQ ID NO 293), 6FAM-CAACATGCTAAATGGTTCCAGGGTGCAAATATC-TAMRA (SEQ ID NO: 294), and 5′-TCAGTAGTTCTTACCAGACACTCCTCAA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 295) were designed to span exon 3-4 and 4-5 junctions. One of the primers, as well as the probe, was designed to overlap an intron-exon boundary to block detection of any possible genomic DNA contamination. The RNA was reverse-transcribed and PCR amplified using the TaqMan EZ RT-PCR kit (PE/ABI, Foster City, Calif.) in the ABI prism 7700 Sequence Detection System (PE/ABI). The thermal cycling condition for the RT step were 50° C. for 2 min, 60° C. for 30 min, and 95° C. for 5 min, followed by 45 cycles of PCR (at 94° C. for 20 s and 60° C. for 1 min per cycle). The XIAP mRNA level of each sample was calculated relative to untreated control cells. XIAP mRNA levels were determined by the cycle threshold method (Ct) using a threshold of 30×the baseline SD, and XIAP levels were normalized for GAPDH content, using PE/ABI supplied primers and probe.

[0177] Western Blot Analysis

[0178] The cells or tumor tissue samples were lysed with ice-cold lysis buffer (50 mM Tris, 150 mM NaCl, 2.5 mM EDTA, 0.1% SDS, 0.5% sodium deoxycholate, 1% NP-40, 0.02% sodium azide) containing protease inhibitors (Complete-Mini protease inhibitor tablets; Boehringer Mannheim GmBH, Mannheim, Germany). After incubation for 30 min on ice, samples were centrifuged at 10,000 rpm for 15 min, and stored at −20° C. Protein content in the lysed extracts was determined using a detergent-compatible Bio-Rad assay (Bio-Rad Labs, Hercules, Calif.). Equal amounts of protein (40 μg/lane) were separated on 12% SDS-polyacrylamide gels or 4-15% gradient SDS-polyacrylamide pre-made gels (Bio-Rad) and transferred to nitrocellulose membranes. Primary antibodies against XIAP, Bcl-2 (DAKO, Glostrup, Denmark), Bax (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.), 13-actin (Sigma), caspase-3 (BD PharMingen, San Diego, Calif.), and PARP (BD PharMingen) were used. The secondary antibody was the appropriate horseradish-conjugated anti-mouse or anti-rabbit IgG (Promega, Madison, Wis.). Proteins were detected by enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL; Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, Buckinghamshire, England) and visualized after exposure to Kodak autoradiography film. Scanning densitometry (Molecular Dynamics, Sunnyvale, Calif.) was performed to quantify band intensities by volume/area integration. The amount of XIAP, caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax in cells was normalized to their respective lane β3-actin levels, upon stripping and reprobing.

[0179] Measurement of Cell Growth and Viability or Death

[0180] Growth inhibition of H640 cells was determined by the colorimetric MTT cell viability/proliferation assay. In brief, cells were treated with liposome-oligonucleotide complexes for 4.5 h, then incubated for another 48 h at 37° C. in medium without transfection reagent or oligonucleotides in the presence or absence of anticancer drugs. MTT (25 μg/well) was added to each well, and the plates incubated for 3 h at 37° C. Following the incubation step, the colored formazan product was dissolved by the addition of 200 μl DMSO. Plates were read using the microtiter plate reader (Dynex Technologies Inc., Chantilly, Va.) at a wavelength of 570 nm. The percentage of surviving cells in wells treated with oligonucleotides was normalized to untreated controls. All assays were performed in triplicate.

[0181] Apoptotic Flow Cytometric Assays

[0182] Cells were treated with liposome-oligonucleotide complexes for 4.5 h, and incubated for another 48 h in the medium without transfection reagent at 37° C. Following incubation, cells were harvested, washed twice with sample buffer (0.5% glucose in PBS without Ca⁺⁺ and Mg⁺⁺), and fixed in cold 70% ethanol at 4° C. for at least 18 hrs. Samples were centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 min, then resuspended in sample buffer containing 50 μg/ml propidium iodide (PI) and 400 U/ml RNase A. Samples were incubated for 30 min at room temperature and 30 min on ice, followed by flow cytometry analysis. EXPO Software (Applied Cytometry Systems, Sacramento, Calif.) was used to generate histograms, which were used to determine the cell cycle phase distribution after debris exclusion. The Sub G1/G0 cell fraction was considered as representative for apoptotic cells.

[0183] Nuclear Morphology

[0184] Cells were treated with liposome-oligonucleotde complexes for 4.5 h, and incubated for another 48 h at 37° C. in the medium without transfection reagent or oligonucleotides. Cells were harvested and stained with 0.10 μg/ml DAPI (4′,6-diamidino-2-2-phenylindole) for 30 min at room temperature. Cells were placed on a glass slide, cytospun, and viewed with a Leica microscope and 40×objective lens under UV fluorescent illumination. Digital images were captured using Imagedatabase V. 4.01 Software (Leica, Germany).

[0185] In Vivo Antitumor Activity

[0186] Efficacy experiments were conducted in male RAG2 immunodeficient mice bearing NC1-H460 tumours or female RAG2 mice bearing LCC6 tumors. Treatments were commenced on day 3 after tumor inoculation. Saline (controls), G4 AS oligonucleotides (5 or 15 mg/kg), or G4 SC oligonucleotides (5 or 15 mg/kg) were administered i.p. daily for five doses a week over a three week regimen. Vinorelbine (VNB, 5 or 10 mg/kg) was administered i.v. via the tail vein, either alone or in combination with oligonucleotides, at day 3, 7, 11 and 17 after tumor inoculation. When oligonucleotides were administered in combination with VNB, the drug treatment was performed four hours after ODN treatment.

[0187] Mice were observed daily. Body weight measurements and signs of stress (e.g., lethargy, ruffled coat, ataxia) were used to detect possible toxicities. Animals with ulcerated tumor, or tumor volumes of 1 cm³ or greater were killed. Digital caliper measurements of tumors were converted into mean tumor size (cm³) using the formula: ½[length (cm)]×[width (cm)]². An average tumor size per mouse was used to calculate the group mean tumor size±SE (n=6 mice) from at least two independent experiments per group.

[0188] Tumor and Tissue Processing

[0189] Mouse tumors were collected on day 21 or 24 post-tumor inoculation and treatment. One portion of the tumor tissue was fixed in formalin. Paraffin-embedded tissues were sectioned and subjected to gross histopathology using hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry for ubiquitin expression. The other portion of the tumor was homogenized in lysis buffer for western blot analysis (see above).

[0190] Statistical Analyses

[0191] Student's t test was used to measure statistical significance between two treatment groups. Multiple comparisons were done using one-way ANOVA and a post-hoc test that compared different treatment groups by the Shelle test criteria (Statistica release 4.5, StatSoft Inc., Tulsa, Okla.). Data were considered significant for a P-value of <0.05.

EXAMPLE 14 Antisense HIAP1 Oligonucleotides Decrease HIAP1 RNA and Polypeptide Expression

[0192] A library of 15 HIAP1 antisense nucleobase oligomers as oligonucleotides was screened for protein knock-down by western blot analysis and for RNA knock-down by TaqMan, using the primers and probes described in Example 3, above, under two different conditions. HIAP1 RNA levels may be detected using standard Northern blot analyses or RT-PCR techniques. The antisense oligonucleotides were administered to cells under basal conditions or under cycloheximide-induction conditions (24 hour treatment with sub-toxic doses). Cycloheximide (CHX) can lead to a 10- to 200-fold induction of HIAP1 mRNA depending on the cell line treated. This in turn leads to an increase in HIAP1 protein, as seen on a Western blot (70 kDa band). This effect of CHX is via two distinct mechanisms of action. First, CHX activates NFkB, a known transcriptional inducer of HIAP1, by blocking the de novo synthesis of a labile protein, IkB, which is an inhibitor of NFkB. This effect is mimicked by puromycin, another protein synthesis inhibitor, and by TNF-alpha, which induces a signaling cascade leading to the phosphorylation, ubiquination, and degradation of IkB. Only CHX leads to a further stabilization of the HIAP1 mRNA, as seen by the decreased rate of disappearance of HIAP1 message in the presence of actinomycin D, to block de novo transcription, and CHX, as opposed to actinomycin D and puromycin or TNF-alpha combined.

[0193] SF295 glioblastoma cells were transfected with lipofectin and oligonucleotide (scrambled survivin, no oligonucleotide, antisense APO 1 to APO 15) or left untreated. RNA was isolated from the cells six hours after transfection and the level of HIAP1 mRNA was measured by quantitative PCR (TaqMan analysis), normalized for GAPDH mRNA, with the value for the scrambled survivin oligonucleotide transfection set as 1.0. The results of this experiment, a compilation of three separate experiments, are shown in FIG. 21. The scrambled survivin oligonucleotide, the mock transfection, and untreated (non-transfected) cells, all showed similar HIAP1 mRNA levels. Of the 15 antisense oligonucleotides, seven (APO 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 12, 15) showed an almost 50% decrease when compared to mock transfection or survivin scrambled control oligonucleotide transfection (5′-mUmAmAGCTGTTCTATGTGmUmUmC-3′; SEQ ID NO: 296) (FIG. 21). Some of the oligonucleotides led to an induction in HIAP1 mRNA, which may be a stress response to a non-specific toxic oligonucleotide. An antisense oligonucleotide may still be effective at knocking down HIAP1 protein levels even if the message is increased if the oligonucleotide is able to interfere with the translation process.

[0194] The effect of HIAP1 antisense nucleobase oligomers on HIAP1 protein and mRNA expression was also examined in cells induced to express HIAP1. SF295 cells were transfected with oligonucleotides, or were mock transfected. The transfected cells were then treated with 10 μg/ml cycloheximide for 24 hours to induce 70 kDa HIAP1 mRNA and protein. Protein levels were measured by western blot analysis with an anti-HIAP1 polyclonal antibody, and normalized against actin protein in a re-probing of the same blots. Scans of the western blot results are shown in FIG. 22A. The densitometric scan results were plotted against the mock results (set at 100%) in FIG. 22B. A line is drawn at 50% to easily identify the most effective antisense oligonucleotides. The transfection process itself (e.g., mock or scrambled survivin) induces HIAP1 protein compared to the untreated sample as shown on the western immunoblot.

[0195] Of the 15 tested nucleobase oligomers, six of them (APO 1, 2, 7, 8, 12, and 15) showed high activity, or had significant activity in both the protein and mRNA assays, and did not cause a stress-induced increase in HIAP1 mRNA, such as that seen with APO 4, 6, 11, 13, 14 (FIG. 21), and by control oligonucleotides to APO 2 (mismatch or reverse polarity, see text below and FIGS. 23 and 24). Note that APO 6 also showed evidence of toxicity as seen by the general decrease in total protein (FIG. 23).

[0196] To further investigate the efficacy of HIAP1 antisense oligonucleotides under cycloheximide induction conditions, changes in HIAP1 mRNA were measured by TaqMan real time PCR 6 hours after transfection with APO 2, which targets an Alu repeat within an intron of HIAP1 and results in the greatest block of CHX-induced upregulation of HIAP1 mRNA and protein. Controls for this experiment were three oligonucleotides for APO 2: one scrambled sequence (same base composition but random order, 5′-AAGGGCGGCGGAGTGAGAC-3′; SEQ ID NO: 297), one reverse polarity (same base composition, same sequential order but in the opposite direction, 5′-AGAGG ACGGAGTCGGAGGC-3′; SEQ ID NO: 298), and one mismatch sequence (containing four base mismatches out of 19 bases, 5′-CGGAGCGTGAGGATGGAGA-3′; SEQ ID NO: 299).

[0197] Transfection of the APO 2 antisense into cells resulted in a 50% decrease in mRNA compared to a scrambled survivin control and matched perfectly with the protein results, while the scrambled control for APO 2 (Hi sc apo 2 in FIG. 24) did not change HIAP1 mRNA levels at all (repeated twice here, and in two different experiments). However, the mismatch control ODN (Hi mm apo 2) and the reverse polarity control oligonucleotide (HI RV apo 2) showed an induction of 6 to 7 fold in HIAP1 mRNA at 6 hours. These oligonucleotides no longer targeted HIAP1, as expected, but may still target Alu repeats because of the degeneracy and repeat nature of these sequences. Therefore, it is possible that these two controls are toxic to the cell and cause a stress response that leads to the induction of HIAP1. This effect may also occur with the antisense APO 2 oligonucleotide, but in this case, APO 2 also causes the degradation of the induced HIAP1 mRNA which results in a relative decrease of HIAP1 mRNA, compared to a scrambled survivin control, as well as decreasing the relative fold induction of HIAP1 protein after transfection and CHX treatment, compared to scrambled survivin control oligonucleotide.

[0198] The six antisense HIAP1 nucleobase oligomers include two very effective oligonucleotides against an intronic sequence (APO 1, and APO 2, with APO 2 demonstrating the better activity). These oligonucleotides could be used therapeutically for treatment of cancer or autoimmune disorders. The oligonucleotides against an intronic sequence would likely only target pre-mRNA (very short-lived target) and not the mature, processed form of HIAP1. Typically, introns are not targeted for antisense except when one wants to alter splicing by targeting the intron-exon boundaries or the branching point. These usually result in the skipping of an exon rather than RNase-mediated degradation of the message. Both mechanisms would likely be favorable for the enhancement of apoptosis, as the skipping would result in the loss of the exon encoding the first two important BIR domains of HIAP1. The APO 2 antisense ODN also targets an intron of survivin for 18 consecutive bases out of 19, but we did not see any loss of survivin protein; only HIAP1 was decreased after the oligo treatment, demonstrating the specificity of the HIAP1 antisense oligonucleotide. These antisense oligonucleotides hit Alu sequences in the HIAP1 intron and potentially in many other genes, and induce the cancer cells to die (see below), which may be as a result of down regulating HIAP1 and some other critical genes, and thus of therapeutic value if it is not too toxic to normal cells.

[0199] Cancer cells have reportedly more Alu-containing transcripts and may therefore be more sensitive to apoptosis induction with an Alu targeting nucleobase oligomer. Furthermore, this killing effect of nucleobase oligomers APO 1 and APO 2 may be due to the combined effect of both targeting Alu sequences and HIAP1 simultaneously. This dual effect would result in an effective way to prevent the normal stress response of HIAP1 induction through the NFkB pathway, when the cell is exposed to certain toxic agents. This stress response is most likely part of the cancer cell's anti-apoptotic program. By blocking HIAP1 expression, we counter this anti-apoptotic stress response and precipitate the cancer cell's demise.

EXAMPLE 15 HIAP1 Antisense Oligonucleotides Increase Cytotoxicity and Chemosensitization

[0200] The effect of HIAP1 antisense nucleobase oligomers on the chemosentization of SF295 cells was also evaluated. Cells were transfected with one of three different antisense oligonucleotides (APO 7, APO 15, and SC APO 2 (control)). Twenty-four hours after transfection with the oligonucleotides, the cells were incubated with adriamycin for an additional 24 hours before assaying by for cell survival by assaying WST-1.

[0201] The WST-1 survival curves for SF295 cells transfected with the above-described HIAP1 oligonucleotides and then treated with increasing concentrations of adriamycin are shown in FIG. 25. The two oligonucleotides that resulted in a decrease in HIAP1 mRNA also showed a decrease in survival when treated with adriamycin compared to cells treated with an oligonucleotide that did not reduce HIAP1 mRNA levels. Therefore, reducing HIAP1 levels by antisense, or other means, can chemosensitize a glioblastoma cell line that is highly resistant to the cytotoxic action of many chemotherapeutic drugs.

[0202] An additional 89 HIAP1 antisense sequences that can be employed in the methods of the invention are shown in Table 6. Sequences that are 100% identical between human HIAP1 and human HIAP2, or have one or two mismatches, are in bold. TABLE 6 Nucleobase oligomer sequence SEQ ID NO: AGCAAGGACAAGCCCAGTC 300 TGTAAACCTGCTGCCCAGA 301 AGAAGTCGTTTTCCTCCTT 302 CCGAGATTAGACTAAGTCC 303 ACTTTTCCTTTATTTCCAC 304 TCCCAAACACAGGTACTAT 305 CATTCTCAGCGGTAACAGC 306 ACCATCATTCTCATCCTCA 307 AATGTAACCTTCAACCATC 308 TTTGTATTCATCACTGTC 309 TCACATCTCATTACCAAC 310 CCAGGTGGCAGGAGAAACA 311 TGCAGACTTCAATGCTTTG 312 TAAGCAAGTCACTGTGGCT 313 CTGAGTCGATAATACTAGC 314 ACTAGCCATTAGTAAAGAG 315 CAACAGCAGAGACCTTGTC 316 ATAGCATACCTTGAACCAG 317 CATCTGTAGGCTAAGATGG 318 AGTTACCAGATGCCATCTG 319 AATCTACTCTGATAGTGGA 320 GTTTCTGAAGCCAACATCA 321 TCAACTTATCACCTCCTGA 322 AAGAACTAACATTGTAGAG 323 GTAGACAACAGGTGCTGCA 324 ATGTCCTCTGTAATTATGG 325 TACTTGGCTAGAACATGGA 326 GAAGCAACTCAATGTTAAG 327 TTTGGTCTTTTGGACTCAG 328 CCATAGATCATCAGGAATA 329 CAGGACTGGCTAACACATC 330 TTTAATGGCAGGCATCTCC 331 TTAAGCCATCAGGATGCCA 332 GCTACAGAGTAAGCTGTGT 333 CTCTAGGGAGGTAGTTTTG 334 AAGAAAAGGGACTAGCCTT 335 CAGTTCACATGACAAGTCG 336 GACTCCTTTCTGAGACAGG 337 ATTCACACCAGTGTAATAG 338 CAGAAGCATTTGACCTTGT 339 CCAGCATCAGGCCACAACA 340 TTTCAGTAGGACTGTCTCC 341 TGCAGCTAGGATACAACTT 342 AGAGGTAGCTTCCAAGTTG 343 GAAGTAATGAGTGTGTGGA 344 GGATTTGATGGAGAGTTTG 345 GAACTTCTCATCAAGGCAG 346 AGGTCCTATGTAGTAAAAG 347 CAATTTTCCACCACAGGCA 348 CATTATCCTTCGGTTCCCA 349 CTCAGGTGTTCTGACATAG 350 GCTCAGATTAGAAACTGTG 351 CTGCATGTGTCTGCATGCT 352 TTAACTAGAACACTAGAGG 353 CATAATAAAAACCCGCACT 354 CACCATCACAGCAAAAGCA 355 CTCCAGATTCCCAACACCT 356 GGAAACCACTTGGCATGTT 357 GTTCAAGTAGATGAGGGTA 358 GATAATTGATGACTCTGCA 359 ATGGTCTTCTCCAGGTTCA 360 GCATTAATCACAGGGGTAT 361 TAAAGCCCATTTCCACGGC 362 TGTTTTACCAGGCTTCTAC 363 GATTTTTCTCTGAACTGTC 364 CTATAATTCTCTCCAGTTG 365 ACACAAGATCATTGACTAG 366 TCTGCATTGAGTAAGTCTA 367 TCTTTTTCCTCAGTTGCTC 368 GTGCCATTCTATTCTTCCG 369 GTAGACTATCCAGGATTGG 370 AGTTCTCTTGCTTGTAAAG 371 TCGTATCAATCAGTTCTCT 372 GCAGAGAGTTTCTGAATAC 373 ATGTCCTGTTGCACAAATA 374 CTGAAACATCTTCTGTGGG 375 TTTCTTCTTGTAGTCTCCG 376 CTTCTTTGTCCATACACAC 377 GGAATAAACACTATGGACA 378 CATACTACTAGATGACCAC 379 TGTACCCTTGATTGTACTC 380 GAAATGTACGAACTGTACC 381 GATGTTTTGGTTCTTCTTC 382 CTATCATTCTCTTAGTTTC 383 ACACCTGGCTTCATGTTCC 384 GACTACAGGCACATACCAC 385 TGCCTCAGCCTGGGACTAC 386 AGGATGGATTCAAACTCCT 387 GAGAAATGTGTCCCTGGTG 388 GCCACAACAGAAGCATTTG 389

[0203] We also analyzed human HIAP2 for sequences suitable for use as antisense nucleobase oligomers. Identified sequences are shown in Table 7. TABLE 7 Nucleobase oligomer sequence SEQ ID NO: TTCTGAAAACTCTTCAATG 390 CTTAGCATAAAGTATCAGT 391 CAAAAAAGTACTGCTTAGC 392 CAAGATAAAACTTGTCCTT 393 TATCAGTCATGTTGTAAAC 394 CTAAATAACCTGTTCATCA 395 AGCACACTTTTTACACTGC 396 ACCACTATTATTCTTGATC 397 TGTATTTGTTTCCATTTCC 398 ACTGTAAACTCTATCTTTG 399 CTTAAGTGGGCTAAATTAC 400 CCTTCATATGGTCACACTA 401 GGTTACAAGCTATGAAGCC 402 CTAAGCAACTATAGAATAC 403 TCCTTGATTTTTCACAGAG 404 ATACTAACTTAAAGCCCTG 405 GGGTTGTAGTAACTCTTTC 406 TAGAACACAACTCTTTGGG 407 CTCTGAATTTCCAAGATAC 408 TTTACTGGATTTATCTCAG 409 TGAGTAGGTGACAGTGCTG 410 GGAGGCAGTTTTGTGCATG 411 CTATCTTCCATTATACTCT 412 TTGTTTGTTGCTGTTTGTC 413 TCCTTTCTGAGACAGGCAC 414 ACCAGCACGAGCAAGACTC 415 ACCTTGTCATTCACACCAG 416 TCCAGTTATCCAGCATCAG 417 GCTTTTGAATAGGACTGTC 418 GAGATGTCTTCAACTGCTC 419 GGGGTTAGTCCTCGATGAA 420 TCATTGCATAACTGTAGGG 421 GCTCTTGCCAATTCTGATG 422 ACCCTATCTCCAGGTCCTA 423 ACAGGCAAAGCAGGCTACC 424 GTTCTGACATAGCATCATC 425 CTCAGAGTTTCTAGAGAAT 426 ATGTTCTCATTCGAGCTGC 427 TGAACTGGAACACTAGATG 428 GCTCAGGCTGAACTGGAAC 429 TTGACATCATCATTGCGAC 430 ACCATCACAACAAAAGCAT 431 CCACTTGGCATGTTCTACC 432 TCGTATCAAGAACTCACAC 433 GGTATCTGAAGTTGACAAC 434 TTTCTTCTCCAGTGGTATC 435 TTCTCCAGGTCCAAAATGA 436 ACAGCATCTTCTGAAGAAC 437 CACAGGTGTATTCATCATG 438 CCAGGTCTCTATTAAAGCC 439 TTCTCTCCAGTTGTCAGGA 440 GAAGTGCTGACACAATATC 441 TTTTCCTTCTCCTCCTCTC 442 CATCTGATGCCATTTCTTC 443 AGCCATTCTGTTCTTCCGA 444 CCAGGATAGGAAGCACACA 445 ATGGTATCAATCAGTTCTC 446 CCGCAGCATTTCCTTTAAC 447 CAGTTTTTGAAGATGTTGG 448 GTGACAGACCTGAAACATC 449 GGGCATTTTCTTAGAGAAG 450 AGTACCCTTGATTATACCC 451 GAAATGTACGAACAGTACC 452 TGAAAAACTCATAATTCCC 453 CCATCTTTTCAGAAACAAG 454 CTATAATTCTCTCCAGTTG 455 CTCCCTTAGGTACACATAC 456 ACAAGCAGTGACACTACTC 457 GTAACTCCTGAAATGATGC 458 CAACAAATCCAGTAACTCC 459 CACCATAACTCTGATGAAC 460

[0204] Other Embodiments

[0205] All publications and patent applications mentioned in this specification, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,919,912, 6,156,535, and 6,133,437, are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each independent publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

[0206] While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modifications and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure come within known or customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains and may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth.

1 460 1 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 1 aaaanncnaa gnaccngca 19 2 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 2 ncnagagggn ggcncagga 19 3 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 3 cagananana ngnaacacn 19 4 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 4 ngagagcccn nnnnnngnn 19 5 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 5 agnangaaan annncngan 19 6 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 6 annggnncca angngnncn 19 7 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 7 nnagcaaaan angnnnnaa 19 8 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 8 ngaannaann nnnaananc 19 9 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 9 anncaaggca ncaaagnng 19 10 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 10 gncaaancan naannagga 19 11 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 11 aanangnaaa cngngangc 19 12 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 12 gcagaanaaa acnaanaan 19 13 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 13 gaaagnaana nnnaagcag 19 14 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 14 nnaccacanc anncaagnc 19 15 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 15 cnaaanacna gagnncgac 19 16 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 16 acacgaccgc naagaaaca 19 17 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 17 nanccacnna ngacanaaa 19 18 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 18 gnnanaggag cnaacaaan 19 19 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 19 aangngaaac acaagcaac 19 20 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 20 acannanann aggaaancc 19 21 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 21 cnngnccacc nnnncnaaa 19 22 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 22 ancnncncnn gaaaanagg 19 23 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 23 ccnncaaaac ngnnaaaag 19 24 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 24 angncngcag gnacacaag 19 25 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 25 ancnannaaa cncnncnac 19 26 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 26 acaggacnac cacnnggaa 19 27 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 27 ngccagngnn gangcngaa 19 28 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 28 gnanaaagaa acccngcnc 19 29 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 29 cgcacggnan cnccnncac 19 30 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 30 cnacagcngc angacaacn 19 31 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 31 gcngagncnc cananngcc 19 32 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 32 anacnnnccn gngncnncc 19 33 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 33 ganaaancng caannnggg 19 34 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 34 nngnagacng cgnggcacn 19 35 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 35 accanncngg anaccagaa 19 36 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 36 agnnnncaac nnngnacng 19 37 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 37 angancncng cnncccaga 19 38 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 38 aganggccng ncnaaggca 19 39 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 39 agnncncaaa aganagncn 19 40 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 40 gngncngana nancnacaa 19 41 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 41 ncgggnanan ggngncnga 19 42 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 42 cagggnnccn cgggnanan 19 43 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 43 gcnncnncac aanacangg 19 44 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 44 ggccagnncn gaaaggacn 19 45 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 45 gcnaacncnc nnggggnna 19 46 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 46 gngnagnaga gnccagcac 19 47 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 47 aagcacngca cnnggncac 19 48 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 48 nncagnnnnc caccacaac 19 49 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 49 acgancacaa ggnncccaa 19 50 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 50 ncgccngngn ncngaccag 19 51 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 51 ccggcccaaa acaaagaag 19 52 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 52 ganncacnnc gaanannaa 19 53 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 53 nancagaacn cacagcanc 19 54 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 54 ggaagannng nngaannng 19 55 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 55 ncngccangg anggannnc 19 56 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 56 aagnaaagan ccgngcnnc 19 57 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 57 cngagnanan ccangnccc 19 58 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 58 gcaagcngcn ccnngnnaa 19 59 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 59 aaagcanaaa anccagcnc 19 60 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 60 gaaagcacnn nacnnnanc 19 61 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 61 acngggcnnc caancagnn 19 62 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 62 gnngnnccca agggncnnc 19 63 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 63 acccnggana ccannnagc 19 64 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 64 ngnncnaaca ganannngc 19 65 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 65 nanananncn ngncccnnc 19 66 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 66 agnnaaanga ananngnnn 19 67 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 67 gacacnccnc aagngaang 19 68 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 68 nnncncagna gnncnnacc 19 69 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 69 gnnagngang gngnnnncn 19 70 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 70 aganggnanc ancaanncn 19 71 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 71 ngnaccanag gannnngga 19 72 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 72 ccccanncgn anagcnncn 19 73 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 73 annannnncn naangnccn 19 74 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 74 caagngannn anagnngcn 19 75 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 75 nagancngca accagaacc 19 76 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 76 cancnngcan acngncnnn 19 77 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 77 ccnnagcngc ncnncagna 19 78 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 78 aagcnncncc ncnngcagg 19 79 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 79 anannncnan ccanacaga 19 80 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 80 cnagangncc acaaggaac 19 81 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 81 agcacanngn nnacaagng 19 82 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 82 agcacanggg acacnngnc 19 83 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 83 cnngaaagna angacngng 19 84 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 84 ccnacnanag agnnagann 19 85 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 85 anncaancag ggnaanaag 19 86 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 86 aagncagnnc acancacac 19 87 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 87 cagnaaaaaa aangganaa 19 88 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 88 nncagnnana gnangangc 19 89 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 89 nacacnnaga aannaaanc 19 90 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 90 ncncnancnn nccaccagc 19 91 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 91 agaanccnaa aacacaaca 19 92 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 92 anncgcacaa gnacgngnn 19 93 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 93 ngncagnaca ngnnggcnc 19 94 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 94 acanagngnn nngccacnn 19 95 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 95 cnnngancng gcncagacn 19 96 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 96 gaaaccacan nnaacagnn 19 97 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 97 ggnancnccn ncaccagna 19 98 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 98 angaccacnn ccncnangg 19 99 15 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 99 ganaccagaa nnngn 15 100 15 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 100 ngnnnaagac canag 15 101 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 101 gcngagncnc canacngcc 19 102 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 102 ggcncncngc ccacngaan 19 103 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 103 ancnncncnn gaaaanagg 19 104 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 104 cagagannnc annnaacgn 19 105 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 105 ancnngacnn gannanagg 19 106 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 106 gganaaaagn ncncnncna 19 107 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 107 cgcacggnan cnccnncac 19 108 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 108 cnacgcncgc cancgnnca 19 109 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 109 cacnnccncn anggcacgc 19 110 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 110 cgcacccnan cnggnncac 19 111 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 111 gcngagncnc cananngcc 19 112 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 112 ggcncnnncg ccacngaan 19 113 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 113 ccgnnanacc ncngagncg 19 114 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 114 gcngacacnc caannngcc 19 115 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 115 accanncngg naaccagaa 19 116 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 116 ngcccaagaa nacnagnca 19 117 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 117 accanagngg anngcagaa 19 118 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 118 aagaccanag gncnnacca 19 119 22 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 119 ganncacnnc nncgaanann aa 22 120 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 120 ngaaangnaa ancancnnc 19 121 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 121 ganncngnnc ganaannaa 19 122 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 122 aannanaagc nncacnnag 19 123 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 123 gcngagncnc cananngcc 19 124 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 124 ggcncnnngc ccacngaan 19 125 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 125 accanncngg anaccagaa 19 126 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 126 aagaccanag gncnnacca 19 127 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 127 ancnncncnn gaaaanagg 19 128 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 128 gganaaaagn ncncnncna 19 129 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 129 ggnancnccn ncaccagna 19 130 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 130 angaccacnn ccncnangg 19 131 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 131 ncngganacc agaannngn 19 132 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 132 ngnnnaagac canaggncn 19 133 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 133 gggnnccncg ggnanangg 19 134 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 134 ggnananggc gnccnnggg 19 135 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 135 ganncacnnc gaanannaa 19 136 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 136 aannanaacg nncacnnag 19 137 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 137 ancnncncnn gaaaanagg 19 138 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 138 gcngagncnc cananngcc 19 139 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 139 ganncacnnc gaanannaa 19 140 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 140 ngcccaagaa nacnagnca 19 141 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 141 gcngagncnc cananngcc 19 142 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 142 ggcncnnngc ccacngaan 19 143 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 143 ggnancnccn ncaccagna 19 144 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 144 angaccacnn ccncnangg 19 145 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 145 gaaagnaana nnnaagcag 19 146 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 146 gagcaannna naangaaag 19 147 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 147 accgcnaaga aacanncna 19 148 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 148 ancnnacaaa gaanccgca 19 149 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 149 nanccacnna ngacanaaa 19 150 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 150 aaanacagna nncaccnan 19 151 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 151 ngcacccngg anaccannn 19 152 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 152 nnnaccanag gncccagcn 19 153 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 153 gcngagncnc canacngcc 19 154 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 154 ggcncncngc ccacngaan 19 155 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 155 annggnncca angngnncn 19 156 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 156 ncnngngnaa ccnnggnna 19 157 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 157 acaggacnac cacnnggaa 19 158 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 158 aaggnncacc ancaggaca 19 159 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 159 aagcacngca cnnggncac 19 160 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 160 cacnggnnga ccncacaag 19 161 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 161 ngncagnaca ngnnggcnc 19 162 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 162 cnaggnngnc cangacngn 19 163 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 163 ncannngagc cngggaggn 19 164 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 164 cggaggcnga ggcaggaga 19 165 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 165 ggngnggngg nacgcgccn 19 166 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 166 acccangcac aaaacnacc 19 167 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 167 agaangngcc agnaggaga 19 168 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 168 ncncacagac gnngggcnn 19 169 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 169 ccagnggnnn gcaagcang 19 170 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 170 gaaannnagn ggccaggaa 19 171 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 171 agaaanacac aanngcacc 19 172 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 172 nacnganaca nnnnaagga 19 173 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 173 nncaacangg aganncnaa 19 174 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 174 annncnangc annnagagn 19 175 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 175 aanacnaggc ngaaaagcc 19 176 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 176 ggcnnngcnn nnancagnn 19 177 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 177 ncnagggagg nagnnnngn 19 178 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 178 gggaagaaaa gggacnagc 19 179 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 179 gnncanaang aaangaang 19 180 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 180 anaagaanan gcngnnnnc 19 181 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 181 nncaaacgng nnggcgcnn 19 182 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 182 angacaagnc gnannncag 19 183 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 183 aagnggaana cgnagacan 19 184 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 184 agacaggaac cccagcagg 19 185 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 185 cgagcaagac nccnnncng 19 186 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 186 agngnaanag aaaccagca 19 187 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 187 ngaccnngnc anncacacc 19 188 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 188 nnanccagca ncaggccac 19 189 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 189 acngncnccn cnnnnccag 19 190 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 190 nnnnangcnn nncagnagg 19 191 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 191 acgaancngc agcnaggan 19 192 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 192 caagnngnna acggaannn 19 193 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 193 naggcngaga ggnagcnnc 19 194 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 194 gnnacngaag aaggaaaag 19 195 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 195 gaangagngn gnggaangn 19 196 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 196 ngnnnncngn acccggaag 19 197 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 197 gagccacgga aananccac 19 198 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 198 nganggagag nnngaanaa 19 199 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 199 gannngcncn ggagnnnac 19 200 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 200 ggcagaaaan ncnngannn 19 201 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 201 ggacaggggn aggaacnnc 19 202 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 202 gcannnncgn nanncanng 19 203 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 203 cngaaaagna agnaancng 19 204 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 204 ggcgacagaa aagncaang 19 205 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 205 ccacncngnc nccaggncc 19 206 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 206 ccaccacagg caaagcaag 19 207 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 207 nncggnnccc aanngcnca 19 208 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 208 nncngacana gcannancc 19 209 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 209 ngggaaaang ncncaggng 19 210 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 210 nanaaanggg cannnggga 19 211 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 211 ngncnngaag cngannnnc 19 212 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 212 gaaacngngn ancnngaag 19 213 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 213 ngncngcang cncaganna 19 214 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 214 gaangnnnna aagcgggcn 19 215 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 215 cacnagaggg ccagnnaaa 19 216 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 216 ccgcacnngc aagcngcnc 19 217 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 217 cancancacn gnnacccac 19 218 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 218 ccaccancac agcaaaagc 19 219 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 219 nccaganncc caacaccng 19 220 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 220 cccangganc ancnccaga 19 221 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 221 aaccacnngg cangnngaa 19 222 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 222 caagnacnca caccnngga 19 223 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 223 ccngnccnnn aanncnnan 19 224 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 224 ngaacnngac ggangaacn 19 225 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 225 nagangaggg naacnggcn 19 226 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 226 ngganagcag cngnncaag 19 227 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 227 cannnncanc nccngggcn 19 228 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 228 ngganaanng angacncng 19 229 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 229 gncnncncca ggnncaaaa 19 230 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 230 nanncancan ganngcanc 19 231 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 231 cannnccacg gcagcanna 19 232 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 232 ccaggcnncn acnaaagcc 19 233 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 233 gcnaggannn nncncngaa 19 234 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 234 ncnanaannc ncnccagnn 19 235 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 235 acacaaganc anngacnag 19 236 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 236 ncngcannga gnaagncna 19 237 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 237 cncnncccnn annncancn 19 238 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 238 nccncagnng cncnnncnc 19 239 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 239 gccanncnan ncnnccgga 19 240 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 240 agncaaangn ngaaaaagn 19 241 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 241 ccagganngg aannacaca 19 242 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 242 annccggcag nnagnagac 19 243 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 243 naacancang nncnngnnc 19 244 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 244 gncngngncn ncngnnnaa 19 245 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 245 nncncnngcn ngnaaagac 19 246 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 246 cnaaaancgn ancaancag 19 247 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 247 ggcngcaana nnnccnnnn 19 248 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 248 gagagnnncn gaanacagn 19 249 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 249 acagcnncag cnncnngca 19 250 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 250 aaanaaangc ncananaac 19 251 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 251 gaaacancnn cngngggaa 19 252 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 252 gnncnnccac nggnaganc 19 253 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 253 cnncnngnag ncnccgcaa 19 254 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 254 nngnccanac acacnnnac 19 255 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 255 aaccaaanna gganaaaag 19 256 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 256 angnncanan ggnnnagan 19 257 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 257 naagnnnnac nncacnnac 19 258 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 258 angnncccgg nannagnac 19 259 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 259 gggcncaagn aanncncnn 19 260 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 260 gcccaggang ganncaaac 19 261 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. DNA/RNA hybrid. 261 gagaagatga ctggtaaca 19 262 18 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. DNA/RNA hybrid 262 ngtgctattc tgtgaann 18 263 20 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 263 tctgcttcaa ggagctggaa 20 264 18 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 264 gaaaggaaag cgcaaccg 18 265 30 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 265 agccagatga cgaccccata gaggaacata 30 266 21 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 266 tggagatgat ccatgggttc a 21 267 29 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 267 gaactcctgt cctttaattc ttatcaagt 29 268 27 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 268 ctcacacctt ggaaaccact tggcatg 27 269 27 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 269 ggtgataaag taaagtgctt tcactgt 27 270 28 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 270 tcagtagttc ttaccagaca ctcctcaa 28 271 34 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 271 caacatgcta aatggtatcc agggtgcaaa tatc 34 272 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 272 gaaggtgaag gtcggagtc 19 273 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 273 gaagatggtg atgggattc 19 274 20 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 274 caagcttccc gttctcagcc 20 275 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase is part of a deoxyribonucleotide or ribonucleotide. 275 cagagatttc atttaacgu 19 276 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a deoxyribonucleotide or ribonucleotide 276 cuacgctcgc catcgtuca 19 277 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase is part of a deoxyribonucleotide or ribonucleotide 277 ugcccaagaa tactaguca 19 278 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 278 ancnncncnn gaaaanagg 19 279 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 279 ancnncncnn gaaaanagg 19 280 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 280 gganaaaagn ncncnncna 19 281 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 281 gcngagncnc cananngcc 19 282 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 282 gcngagncnc cananngcc 19 283 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 283 ggcncnnngc ccacngaan 19 284 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 284 accanncngg anaccagaa 19 285 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 285 accanncngg anaccagaa 19 286 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 286 aagaccanag gncnnacca 19 287 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 287 gggnnccncg ggnanangg 19 288 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 288 ggnananggc gnccnnggg 19 289 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 289 ggnancnccn ncaccagna 19 290 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 290 angaccacnn ccncnangg 19 291 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 291 ganncacnnc gaanannaa 19 292 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 292 aannanaacg nncacnnag 19 293 27 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 293 ggtgataaag taaagtgctt tcactgt 27 294 33 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 294 caacatgcta aatggttcca gggtgcaaat atc 33 295 28 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 295 tcagtagttc ttaccagaca ctcctcaa 28 296 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. DNA/RNA hybrid. 296 uaagctgttc tatgtguuc 19 297 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 297 aagggcggcg gagtgagac 19 298 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 298 agaggacgga gtcggaggc 19 299 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. 299 cggagcgtga ggatggaga 19 300 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 300 agcaaggaca agcccagnc 19 301 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 301 ngnaaaccng cngcccaga 19 302 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 302 agaagncgnn nnccnccnn 19 303 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 303 ccgagannag acnaagncc 19 304 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 304 acnnnnccnn nannnccac 19 305 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 305 ncccaaacac aggnacnan 19 306 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 306 canncncagc ggnaacagc 19 307 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 307 accancannc ncanccnca 19 308 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 308 aangnaaccn ncaaccanc 19 309 18 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 309 nnngnannca ncacngnc 18 310 18 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 310 ncacancnca nnaccaac 18 311 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 311 ccaggnggca ggagaaaca 19 312 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 312 ngcagacnnc aangcnnng 19 313 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 313 naagcaagnc acngnggcn 19 314 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 314 cngagncgan aanacnagc 19 315 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 315 acnagccann agnaaagag 19 316 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 316 caacagcaga gaccnngnc 19 317 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 317 anagcanacc nngaaccag 19 318 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 318 cancngnagg cnaagangg 19 319 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 319 agnnaccaga ngccancng 19 320 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 320 aancnacncn ganagngga 19 321 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 321 gnnncngaag ccaacanca 19 322 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 322 ncaacnnanc accnccnga 19 323 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 323 aagaacnaac anngnagag 19 324 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 324 gnagacaaca ggngcngca 19 325 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 325 angnccncng naannangg 19 326 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 326 nacnnggcna gaacangga 19 327 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 327 gaagcaacnc aangnnaag 19 328 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 328 nnnggncnnn nggacncag 19 329 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 329 ccanaganca ncaggaana 19 330 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 330 caggacnggc naacacanc 19 331 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 331 nnnaanggca ggcancncc 19 332 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 332 nnaagccanc aggangcca 19 333 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 333 gcnacagagn aagcngngn 19 334 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 334 cncnagggag gnagnnnng 19 335 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 335 aagaaaaggg acnagccnn 19 336 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 336 cagnncacan gacaagncg 19 337 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 337 gacnccnnnc ngagacagg 19 338 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 338 anncacacca gngnaanag 19 339 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 339 cagaagcann ngaccnngn 19 340 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 340 ccagcancag gccacaaca 19 341 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 341 nnncagnagg acngncncc 19 342 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 342 ngcagcnagg anacaacnn 19 343 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 343 agaggnagcn nccaagnng 19 344 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 344 gaagnaanga gngngngga 19 345 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 345 ggannngang gagagnnng 19 346 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 346 gaacnncnca ncaaggcag 19 347 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 347 aggnccnang nagnaaaag 19 348 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 348 caannnncca ccacaggca 19 349 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 349 cannanccnn cggnnccca 19 350 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 350 cncaggngnn cngacanag 19 351 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 351 gcncaganna gaaacngng 19 352 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 352 cngcangngn cngcangcn 19 353 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 353 nnaacnagaa cacnagagg 19 354 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 354 canaanaaaa acccgcacn 19 355 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 355 caccancaca gcaaaagca 19 356 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 356 cnccagannc ccaacaccn 19 357 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 357 ggaaaccacn nggcangnn 19 358 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 358 gnncaagnag angagggna 19 359 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 359 ganaanngan gacncngca 19 360 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 360 anggncnncn ccaggnnca 19 361 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 361 gcannaanca caggggnan 19 362 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 362 naaagcccan nnccacggc 19 363 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 363 nnaagccanc aggangcca 19 364 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 364 gannnnncnc ngaacngnc 19 365 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 365 cnanaanncn cnccagnng 19 366 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 366 acacaaganc anngacnag 19 367 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 367 ncngcannga gnaagncna 19 368 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 368 ncnnnnnccn cagnngcnc 19 369 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 369 gngccanncn anncnnccg 19 370 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 370 gnagacnanc cagganngg 19 371 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 371 agnncncnng cnngnaaag 19 372 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 372 ncgnancaan cagnncncn 19 373 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 373 gcagagagnn ncngaanac 19 374 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 374 angnccngnn gcacaaana 19 375 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 375 cngaaacanc nncngnggg 19 376 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 376 nnncnncnng nagncnccg 19 377 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 377 cnncnnngnc canacacac 19 378 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 378 ggaanaaaca cnanggaca 19 379 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 379 canacnacna gangaccac 19 380 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 380 ngnacccnng anngnacnc 19 381 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 381 gaaangnacg aacngnacc 19 382 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 382 gangnnnngg nncnncnnc 19 383 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 383 cnancanncn cnnagnnnc 19 384 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 384 acaccnggcn ncangnncc 19 385 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 385 gacnacaggc acanaccac 19 386 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 386 ngccncagcc ngggacnac 19 387 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 387 agganggann caaacnccn 19 388 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 388 gagaaangng ncccnggng 19 389 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 389 gccacaacag aagcannng 19 390 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 390 nncngaaaac ncnncaang 19 391 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 391 cnnagcanaa agnancagn 19 392 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 392 caaaaaagna cngcnnagc 19 393 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 393 caaganaaaa cnngnccnn 19 394 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 394 nancagncan gnngnaaac 19 395 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 395 cnaaanaacc ngnncanca 19 396 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 396 agcacacnnn nnacacngc 19 397 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 397 accacnanna nncnnganc 19 398 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 398 ngnannngnn nccannncc 19 399 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 399 acngnaaacn cnancnnng 19 400 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 400 cnnaagnggg cnaaannac 19 401 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 401 ccnncanang gncacacna 19 402 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 402 ggnnacaagc nangaagcc 19 403 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 403 cnaagcaacn anagaanac 19 404 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 404 nccnngannn nncacagag 19 405 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 405 anacnaacnn aaagcccng 19 406 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 406 gggnngnagn aacncnnnc 19 407 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 407 nagaacacaa cncnnnggg 19 408 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 408 cncngaannn ccaaganac 19 409 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 409 nnnacnggan nnancncag 19 410 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 410 ngagnaggng acagngcng 19 411 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 411 ggaggcagnn nngngcang 19 412 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 412 cnancnncca nnanacncn 19 413 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 413 nngnnngnng cngnnngnc 19 414 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 414 nccnnncnga gacaggcac 19 415 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 415 accagcacga gcaagacnc 19 416 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 416 accnngncan ncacaccag 19 417 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 417 nccagnnanc cagcancag 19 418 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 418 gcnnnngaan aggacngnc 19 419 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 419 gagangncnn caacngcnc 19 420 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 420 ggggnnagnc cncgangaa 19 421 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 421 ncanngcana acngnaggg 19 422 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 422 gcncnngcca anncngang 19 423 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 423 acccnancnc caggnccna 19 424 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 424 acaggcaaag caggcnacc 19 425 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 425 gnncngacan agcancanc 19 426 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 426 cncagagnnn cnagagaan 19 427 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 427 angnncncan ncgagcngc 19 428 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 428 ngaacnggaa cacnagang 19 429 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 429 gcncaggcng aacnggaac 19 430 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 430 nngacancan canngcgac 19 431 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 431 accancacaa caaaagcan 19 432 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 432 ccacnnggca ngnncnacc 19 433 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 433 ncgnancaag aacncacac 19 434 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 434 ggnancngaa gnngacaac 19 435 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 435 nnncnncncc agnggnanc 19 436 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 436 nncnccaggn ccaaaanga 19 437 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 437 acagcancnn cngaagaac 19 438 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 438 cacaggngna nncancang 19 439 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 439 ccaggncncn annaaagcc 19 440 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 440 nncncnccag nngncagga 19 441 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 441 gaagngcnga cacaananc 19 442 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 442 nnnnccnncn ccnccncnc 19 443 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 443 cancngangc cannncnnc 19 444 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 444 agccanncng nncnnccga 19 445 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 445 ccagganagg aagcacaca 19 446 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 446 anggnancaa ncagnncnc 19 447 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 447 ccgcagcann nccnnnaac 19 448 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 448 cagnnnnnga agangnngg 19 449 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 449 gngacagacc ngaaacanc 19 450 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 450 gggcannnnc nnagagaag 19 451 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 451 agnacccnng annanaccc 19 452 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 452 gaaangnacg aacagnacc 19 453 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 453 ngaaaaacnc anaannccc 19 454 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 454 ccancnnnnc agaaacaag 19 455 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 455 cnanaanncn cnccagnng 19 456 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 456 cncccnnagg nacacanac 19 457 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 457 acaagcagng acacnacnc 19 458 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 458 gnaacnccng aaangangc 19 459 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 459 caacaaancc agnaacncc 19 460 19 DNA Artificial Sequence based on Homo sapiens. Each nucleobase may be part of a ribonucleotide, deoxyribonucleotide, or nucleotide analog 460 caccanaacn cngangaac 19 

What is claimed is:
 1. A substantially pure nucleobase oligomer of up to 30 nucleobases in length, said nucleobase oligomer comprising at least eight consecutive nucleobases of a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 97, 98, 99, 143, 147, 151, 287, 289, and 300-460.
 2. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 1, wherein said nucleobase oligomer consists essentially of a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 97, 98, 99, 143, 147, 151, 287, 289, and 300-460.
 3. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 2, wherein said nucleobase oligomer consists of a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 97, 98, 99, 143, 147, 151, 287, 289, and 300-460.
 4. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 1, wherein said nucleobase oligomer is an oligonucleotide.
 5. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 1, wherein said oligonucleotide comprises at least one modified linkage.
 6. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 5, wherein said modified linkage is selected from the group consisting of phosphorothioate, methylphosphonate, phosphotriester, phosphorodithioate, and phosphoselenate linkages.
 7. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 1, wherein said nucleobase oligomer comprises at least one modified sugar moiety.
 8. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 7, wherein said modified sugar moiety is a 2′-O-methyl group or a 2′-O-methoxyethyl group.
 9. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 1, wherein said nucleobase oligomer comprises at least one modified nucleobase.
 10. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 9 wherein said modified nucleobase is 5-methyl cytosine.
 11. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 1, wherein said nucleobase oligomer is a chimeric nucleobase oligomer.
 12. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 11, wherein said nucleobase oligomer comprises DNA residues linked together by phosphorothioate linkages, said DNA residues flanked on each side by at least one 2′-O-methyl or 2′-O-methoxyethyl RNA residue.
 13. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 12, wherein said DNA residues are flanked on each side by at least three 2′-O-methyl or 2′-O-methoxyethyl RNA residues.
 14. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 13, wherein said DNA residues are flanked on each side by four 2′-O-methyl or 2′-O-methoxyethyl RNA residues.
 15. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 12, wherein said RNA residues are linked together by phosphorothioate linkages, and said RNA residues are linked to said DAN residues by phosphorothioate linkages.
 16. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 11, wherein said nucleobase oligomer comprises DNA residues linked together by phosphodiester linkages, said DNA residues flanked on each side by at least two 2′-O-methyl or 2′-O-methoxyethyl RNA residues linked together by phosphorothioate linkages.
 17. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 16, wherein said DNA residues are flanked on each side by at least three 2′-O-methyl or 2′-O-methoxyethyl RNA residues.
 18. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 1, said nucleobase oligimer comprising eleven DNA residues flanked on each side by four 2′-O-methyl RNA residues, said nucleobase oligomer consisting of one of the following sequences: 5′-AUUGGTTCCAATGTGUUCU-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 155); 5′-ACACGACCGCTAAGAAACA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 16); 5′-ACAGGACTACCACTTGGAA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 157); 5′-UGCCAGTGTTGATGCUGAA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 27); 5′-GCUGAGTCTCCATATUGCC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 141); 5′-UCGGGTATATGGTGTCUGA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 41); 5′-AAGCACTGCACTTGGUCAC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 47); 5′-CCGGCCCAAAACAAAGAAG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 51); 5′-ACCCTGGATACCATTUAGC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 63); 5′-UGUCAGTACATGTTGGCUC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 161); and 5′-UGCACCCTGGATACCAUUU-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 151), said residues linked together by phosphorothioate linkages.
 19. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 18, wherein said nucleobase oligomer consists of the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 155. 20. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 18, wherein said nucleobase oligomer consists of the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 16. 21. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 18, wherein said nucleobase oligomer consists of the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 157. 22. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 18, wherein said nucleobase oligomer consists of the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 27. 23. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 18, wherein said nucleobase oligomer consists of the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 141. 24. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 18, wherein said nucleobase oligomer consists of the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 41. 25. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 18, wherein said nucleobase oligomer consists of the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 47. 26. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 18, wherein said nucleobase oligomer consists of the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 51. 27. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 18, wherein said nucleobase oligomer consists of the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 63. 28. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 18, wherein said nucleobase oligomer consists of the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 161. 29. The nucleobase oligomer of claim 18, wherein said nucleobase oligomer consists of the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 151. 30. The nucleobase oligomer of any one of claims 1-29, wherein said nucleobase oligomer inhibits the expression of an IAP in said cell.
 31. A pharmaceutical composition comprising (i) a nucleobase oligomer of up to 30 nucleobases in length, said nucleobase oligomer comprising at least eight consecutive nucleobases of a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 97, 98, 99, 143, 147, 151, 287, 289, and 300-460; and (ii) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
 32. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 31, further comprising a colloidal dispersion system.
 33. A catalytic RNA molecule capable of cleaving XIAP, HIAP1, or HIAP2 mRNA.
 34. The catalytic RNA molecule of claim 33, the binding arms of which contain at least eight consecutive nucleobases corresponding to a sequence of any one of Tables 1, 2, 6, and
 7. 35. The catalytic RNA molecule of claim 34, wherein said RNA molecule is in a hammerhead motif.
 36. The catalytic RNA molecule of claim 34, wherein said RNA molecule is in a hairpin, hepatitis delta virus, group 1 intron, VS RNA or RNAseP RNA motif.
 37. An expression vector comprising a nucleic acid encoding a catalytic RNA molecule, the binding arms of which contain at least eight consecutive nucleobases corresponding to a sequence of any one of Tables 1, 2, 6, and 7, said nucleic acid positioned for expression in a mammalian cell.
 38. A double-stranded RNA molecule comprising between 21 and 29 nucleobases, said RNA molecule comprising at least eight consecutive nucleobases corresponding to a sequence of any one of Tables 1, 2, 6, and
 7. 39. A double-stranded RNA molecule comprising between 50 and 70 nucleobases, said RNA molecule comprising a first domain of between 21 and 29 nucleobases that comprise least eight consecutive nucleobases corresponding to a sequence of any one of Tables 1, 2, 6, and 7; a second domain complementary to said first domain, and a loop domain situated between said first and said second domains.
 40. An expression vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding a double stranded RNA molecule comprising between 50 and 70 nucleobases, said RNA molecule comprising a first domain of between 21 and 29 nucleobases that comprise least eight consecutive nucleobases corresponding to a sequence of any one of Tables 1, 2, 6, and 7; a second domain complementary to said first domain, and a loop domain situated between said first and said second domains, said nucleic acid positioned for expression in a mammalian cell.
 41. An oligonucleotide consisting of a sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 97, 98, 99, 143, 147, 151, 287, 289, and 300-460. 